Select Board Minutes 7-30-2024

Publish date: July 31, 2024

Select Board Minutes 7-30-2024

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

JULY 30th, 2024

 The meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the pledge of allegiance.

  • Board members present Mary Ashcroft, Sharon Russell, Kurt Hathaway, and Matt Getty
  • Members of the public participating Dhruv Kumar, Brenda Siegel

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for June 16th:

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

Approval of Select Board Minutes for June 23rd:

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

Question from the Floor / Public Comment

Dhruv Kumar, owner of the Cortina Inn was present to discuss his facility.

  1. At the last Board meeting, Town Constable Faignant reported there were 24 unregistered vehicles there.
  2. Kumar stated he did not believe there were that many, but they are actively getting rid of the ones that are unregistered.
  3. Some belong to people no longer living there. They have changed their policy for new people coming with vehicles.
  4. Discussed the issue with the rear doors. New exterior doors are being installed. Cameras for these doors, as well as an alarm panel showing which door is open, are also being installed.

Brenda Siegel, Executive Director of End Homelessness Vermont addressed the Board.

  1. Spoke about challenges those living at the Cortina Inn are facing.
  2. Discussed what solutions were in place, prior to Covid. Discussed the challenges faced now with limited housing and long-term care facilities.
  3. Advocated for a change in the contract the Board has with the Cortina Inn. Ms. Siegel asked the Board to amend it so a specific person can remain employed. The contract states no registered sex offenders can work at the facility, currently they do have a key staff member who is on the registry. Ms. Siegel feels he is an asset to the program. No decision by the Board was made.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

  1. Month end stats will be available at the next Board meeting.
  2. The department has been very busy with only 2 officers on the road.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

  1. The Commission is making plans for the Town Wide Celebration. A river corridor presentation is planned. Information on the velemont trail will also be available.
  2. The Commission is planning to review some ordinances and permits at their upcoming meetings.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

  1. The pool has been very busy this year.
  2. The dugouts and building at Dewey Field are being repainted in the new blue color.
  3. Discussed replacing the fencing around the tennis courts. After discussion, Selectwoman Russell moved to approve replacing the fence for a cost not to exceed $9000 with funds to come from the Rec Depreciation account. Praticos will be doing the work. They are a preferred vendor. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  4. The senior luncheon was held recently, and it went very well.
  5. Discussed the future coordination for these events, and the management falling under the recreation department.
    1. Their group is in favor of it.
    2. There are funds in the general budget for their events.
  6. Discussed removing the light poles at Dewey field. Some quotes are pending.
  7. Discussed putting up something as a dedication to those who have contributed to establishing Northwood Park. After discussion, some research will be done to see if all the names given is the complete list.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

  1. Some work was done recently on the shared use path where it connects to Chasanna Drive to help with an access problem.
  2. The Post Road paving project was finished as planned.
  3. Roadside mowing is continuing.
  4. Discussed topics from the recent Highway Committee meeting.
    1. Discussed the Simons Ave intersection with VTrans.
    2. Reviewed the updated Driveway install permit. After discussion, Selectman Hathaway moved to approve the new form. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion passed 4 – 0.
  5. Discussed the Eastern end of the Post Road sidewalk termination.
    1. The sidewalk had to end prior to the intersection because of additional requirements if it ended at the intersection.
    2. An RFP will be developed to request design services for the next section, which would go along Chasanna Drive.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

  1. Reported on the recent grievance hearings. Minutes are available on the Town website.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

  1. The new pickup truck should be ready in about 3 weeks. Discussed what to do with the truck it is replacing. A committee meeting will be planned to discuss this.
  2. Received a phone call about the private Fire Hydrant Ordinance. The person was unaware of the ordinance. Discussed the communication that was sent out. The Chief will get copies of the information sent.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

  1. Reviewed the tax rates which were set at the July 23rd
  2. Tax bills will be generated the first week of August and should be in homes soon after.
  3. Discussed how the calculations are done.
  4. Discussed the capital improvement balance. After reviewing this with the Town auditor, there should be $834,443.07 not including the sweep over from this year, and expenses which have been approved but the funds have not been spent.
  5. Discussed the next Board meeting. It is scheduled for August 13th, which is the same day as primary voting. After discussion, it will be held on August 12th.

Board to open fuel bids received.

  1. Bid requests were sent out for propane, heating oil, and diesel fuel.
  2. Bids were received from
    1. Johnson Energy for #2 heating oil at $0.40 over Johnson Energy cost on the day of delivery with a maximum rate of $2.999 for the contract period.
    2. Suburban propane bid $.45 over Selkirks Thursday price for a variable rate or $1.6956 per gallon for a fixed rate.
    3. Proctor Gas bid $1.799 per gallon as a fixed price.
    4. Irving Energy bid $1.672 per gallon of propane as a fixed rate and a variable rate based on the daily cost, currently $1.22 per gallon.
    5. Irving Energy bid $2.975 per gallon of heating oil as a fixed rate and a variable rate based on the daily cost, currently $2.653. per gallon.
    6. Irving Energy bid $2.834 per gallon of off-road diesel.
    7. The bids will be given to the building committee for review and to provide a recommendation to the Board.

Selectman Hathaway moved to enter executive session to hear advice from Town Counsel with the Town Road Commissioner attend, a personnel issue, pending litigation and a contract discussion. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0. The Board entered executive session at 7:45 PM.

Upon leaving executive session at 8:36PM, Selectman Getty moved to rescind the sewer maintenance agreement between the Eco Car Wash, formerly the Ground Round and Ponderosa property, Dennys restaurant, and the Town, and to authorize Town Counsel to send a letter to that effect, and to record it in the land records. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

  1. Reviewed a situation where a contractor was digging in the right of way recently without a permit. Discussed developing a policy or ordinance regarding this. Some examples will be researched.
  2. There is a meeting room request for the evening on August 14th. It is after hours so an employee will be needed. No one has volunteered yet. If someone can’t be found, the request will have to be denied.
  3. Proposals for updating our Town Local Hazard Mitigation Plan were received.
    1. The Regional Planning Commission bid $9852.79.
    2. Safework bid $10,165.
    3. The Delta Development Group bid $10,180.
    4. Marty Wasserman and Bill Sweet reviewed them. All 3 were very good.
    5. The Regional Planning Commission was the low bidder and they are being recommended. A contract for services would be needed from them.
    6. Selectwoman Russell moved to approve the recommendation and to request a contract for services. Selectman Hathaway.
  4. Work on the Route 7 North sidewalk is continuing. A design service proposal will be reviewed soon.
  5. No letters of interest were received for the Town Lister position. The notice will be reposted.
  6. The State agriculture department reached out about the spraying of chemicals in the right of way. The Town would require a permit, a private owner does not.

Committee meeting updates:

  1. Reviewed the plans for the Town Wide Celebration discussed at a committee meeting right before the Board meeting.

Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:54 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

_______________________________________________

Mary Ashcroft, Chair

 

_________________ABSENT_____________________

Joseph Denardo, Clerk

 

_______________________________________________
Sharon Russell

 

_______________________________________________

Kurt Hathaway

 

_______________________________________________

Matt Getty

 

Center Rutland, VT.

 

Rutland Town News

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