Selectboard Minutes 11-19-2024

Publish date: November 21, 2024

Selectboard Minutes 11-19-2024

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECTBOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

NOVEMBER 19th, 2024

 

  • The meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the pledge of allegiance.
  • Board members present Mary Ashcroft, Joe Denardo, Kurt Hathaway, and Matt Getty

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Selectboard Minutes for November 4th:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Update from the Selectboard Chair

Reminded committees to include childcare payroll taxes in their budgets for the next year.

Board to meet with representatives from CEDRR

  1. Lyle Jepson and Olivia Bucksbaum were present to discuss their work with the regional marketing initiative.
  2. Reviewed the effort underway advertising nationwide for people to move to the area. Through this, more than 200 have relocated to Rutland County.
  3. They are requesting to go on the ballot again this year for an appropriation. The request for $4094 is the same as years past. They have been successful with the funding they have received.
  4. The appropriation request and annual report were both provided.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

  1. The Board gave Mr. Rowe their condolences on the recent passing of his father.
  2. Basketball will start the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.
  3. Discussed the draft budget and depreciation contribution discussion from the recent Committee meeting. This would need to be a ballot item. There generally has been some inconsistent wording in the past and should be standardized going forward.
  4. The Senior Luncheon will be this Thursday at 11:30AM at the Center Rutland Fire Station.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

  1. The salt shed has been filled.
  2. There sewer line on Route 7 South in front of Days Inn was plugged again recently. Bottles and cans were again found in it. There was extensive discussion on the cause and remedies. It was decided a site visit is necessary and the town health officer will be invited.
  3. Work on the shared use path is going well. Trees and stumps were removed from the entrance off Chasanna Drive. Gravel was added to the path.
  4. Discussed the Post Road Sidewalk. The project was reviewed by the State. They are not accepting the project as it is to make us eligible for reimbursement. They identified issues which they require to be corrected. After discussion, Commissioner Sears was asked to file an appeal with the State for reconsideration of the decision.
  5. Discussed a run-off issue from the Highway Committee meeting. The committee is recommending to the full Board approving the Town give the property owner up to 7 yards of stone for the contractor they will hire directly to use to fix the issue. Selectman Denardo moved to approve this plan. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  6. The Carmel Place Homeowners Association has approached us again about the takeover of their private road. They will have representatives attending the next Highway Committee meeting. For the consideration to move forward, there are several items, outlines in the Town ordinance, which will have to be provided.
  7. Guidelines have been developed for the sale of grindings from road work. They will be sold for $20 a ton, delivered. There is no charge for delivery and there is no responsibility by the town after delivery. Scheduling is done at the convenience of the highway department.

Discussed topics from the recent Police Committee meeting

  1. Two recommendations by the Committee came from the meeting.
  2. There are vacancy savings largely from the School Resource Officer position being open, and additional savings from the 3rd officer position being filled recently.
  3. There is approximately $43,000 in total savings.
  4. Selectman Getty moved to increase the budgeted salary for the SRO by $5000 on an annualized basis. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  5. Selectman Getty moved to purchase the fingerprint machine and the printer. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0. The funds will come from the police equipment line with the understanding the line will be in deficit, but the overall budget will not be.

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

  1. The general contractor is requesting a 50% release of the retainage for the public safety building project. The total retainage is approximately $520,000.
  2. Discussed the request from the Fire Department for additional signs on the front of the building. The cost of the signs is $5700, and approximately $4000 for installation. The general contractor was contacted and agreed to install them for $1000.
  3. Selectman Getty moved to authorize the release of 50% of the retainage. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  4. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the purchase of the additional signs for the Fire Department and to approve $1000 for the general contractor to install them. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  5. Selectman Denardo moved to have the funds will come from the capital improvement fund. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0. After these expenses, there is approximately $155,000 left in the fund.
  6. Provided a change order document to add a vent for the fire department gear dryer. The additional cost is $4850. Selectman Hathaway moved to approve the request, and to pay the cost from the capital improvement fund. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0. Selectman Denardo moved to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

  1. Gave an update on the Pocket Park project.
    1. Kevin Brown is in discussions with Green Mountain Power regarding the transfer of land. Paperwork may be available for the next Board meeting.
    2. The grant application for funding is moving forward. The award can be up to $50,000. There is a 20% local match, which can include in kind work.
  2. The Planning Commission completed its budget planning for the next fiscal year at their last meeting.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

  1. Ther contractor we have used for business and personal property valuation work, Gail Gantick, is retiring. The work will need to be taken on in the Listers Office.
    1. There are no expected issues with this additional workload.
    2. We have 255 accounts. Cathy will be a big part of this new work.
    3. An increase in the hourly rate for their office was requested due to the increased workload.
    4. There is over $330M in business personal property value in the Town which brings in almost $695,000 in tax revenue.
  2. Discussed the future of the Listers Office. Marcias’s term is up in 2026, and she is not running again. It is not clear if Marie or Cathy would stay on at that point.
  3. A proposal for increased compensation was requested by the Board.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

  1. Discussed some public safety building costs which may be moved to the General Budget. Maintenance, electricity and heating fuel are in the general budget for this fiscal year. Other categories discussed are phones and water / sewer.
  2. Chief Clark said an increase in the depreciation account will not be requested this year.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

  1. Provided an audit letter for the single audit we will need to have done. This is to retain the auditor for the audit. The cost will be between $5000 and $10,000. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the agreement with A.M. Peisch and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
  2. Provided an update on the local option tax income. We are on pace for our projected income, but behind the amount received last year.
  3. Discussed possible dates for pre-town meeting. It cannot be earlier than January 21st. There are some due dates for the Town report which have not come out yet. They should be available by the next meeting. This topic will be kept on the next agenda.
  4. Provided information on the increase in insurance premiums which goes into effect January 1st. There can be up to a 20% increase in the premiums.
  5. There is a supplemental insurance plan available from VLCT. Enrollment is open until this Friday. Information was sent out to department heads previously and will be sent again.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

  1. The phones and internet service at the public safety building has been activated. A meeting is scheduled with Consolidated Communications tomorrow to get exact monthly charges for budget planning.
  2. The vendor who helped develop the service road plans reached out to ask if we plan any work on this in the next fiscal year. This will be discussed at the next Highway Committee meeting.
  3. Town Hall will be closed Thursday and Friday next week for the holiday.
  4. Discussed the need to update 5-year plans for each department. This will be discussed with committees.
  5. Provided a notice from Same Sun of Vermont. They are working toward licensing a new solar array off of Route 4 East.
  6. The public concerns meeting for Route 7 North sidewalk was held right before the Board meeting. Everyone attending was in favor of the project. Discussed rights of way for the project and the transition from the southern end of the path to the new bike lanes in the City. A conversation with VTrans could be helpful.
  7. Discussed Business Route 4 from the City / Town line to the train trestle and if this could be repainted to have a center turn lane as well.

Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:34 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

_______________________________________________

Mary Ashcroft, Chair

 

_______________________________________________

Joseph Denardo, Clerk

 

_______________ABSENT_______________________
Sharon Russell

 

_______________________________________________

Kurt Hathaway

 

_______________________________________________

Matt Getty

 

Center Rutland, VT.

 

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