Select Board Minutes 11-12-19

Select Board 11-12-19

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN CENTER RUTLAND FIRE STATION

619 US BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

NOVEMBER 12^th, 2019

 

• Board members present: Josh Terenzini, Mary Ashcroft, Sharon Russell, Joe Denardo, John Paul Faignant
• Meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance

 

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders

Approval of Select Board Minutes for October 29^th:

• A quorum of select board members present on October 29^th are not in attendance tonight. This will be tabled until the next meeting.

 

Mr. Terenzini recognized the recent adoption by Bill and Robyn Sweet

New Business; Board to meet with Ralph Meima from Green Lantern Solar:

1. The energy committee met earlier today to discuss the option to lease agreement given to the town by Green Lantern Solar.
2. The committee is recommending to the board to sign the agreement and move forward.
3. Ashcroft moved to sign the option to lease agreement and have the chairman sign on behalf of the board. Mr. Faignant seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.

 

Bill Sweet Administrative Assistant to the Select Board:

1. Presented an updated list of committee agenda items
2. Discussed a request from Fire District #5 to use the meeting space downstairs, and their request to have the fee for an afterhours meeting waived.
   1. Chief Dumas stated he would be in attendance.
   2. Chief Dumas will be responsible for the building so there will not be a charge.
3. Presented a letter to be signed from Efficiency Vermont regarding the additional incentive they are offering the town to install heat pumps.
   1. Ashcroft moved to approve and authorize the chair to sign on behalf of the Select Board. Mr. Faignant seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.
4. Presented an offer from Northstar fireworks regarding the 2020 fireworks display.
   1. Since the 4^th of July this year is on a Saturday, they are having a scheduling issue.
   2. They are offering incentives to move the date from the 4^th.
   3. Sweet will reach out to them to get more information.
   4. Discussed changing the date of fireworks to align with the Town Wide Celebration
   5. The discussion will be referred to the Rec Committee
5. Provided updated budget sheets with all the draft department budgets included.
6. Renovations on Town Hall are starting tomorrow.

Barbara Noyes-Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

1. The Planning Commission has some boundary line adjustment requests coming up for review.
2. The energy plan recently approved by the board is going to be reviewed by the Regional Planning Commission soon.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

1. The recent Halloween party went great.
2. Basketball sing ups are ongoing.
3. December 10^th will be the senior luncheon and it will be at the Center Rutland Fire Station. The school jazz band will play again this year.

Byron Hathaway Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

1. Hathaway requested an executive session for a personnel matter at the end of the meeting.
2. Recapped the recent highway committee meeting where the drainage issue on Columbus Drive was discussed, and the committee decided no action be taken at this time.
3. Recapped a discussion from the highway committee meeting on the Town of Clarendon buying out our share of the roadside mower and the need to purchase a new mower.
4. Reviewed the opportunity to apply for a new salt shed next year through a grant program.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

1. The new utility pickup truck is finished and in service.
2. Presented a draft copy of by law revisions approved by the membership recently.
   1. Faignant moved to approve the changes. Mr. Denardo seconded the motion.
      1. Ms. Ashcroft suggested some clerical corrections.
      2. Ms. Ashcroft asked about the pay rate for junior firefighters. Chief Clark said this topic was coming up soon. Mr. Faignant stated the reason for compensation was to ensure insurance coverage for them.

• The motion passed 4-0.

3. Denardo discussed replacing the flagpole at McKinley station with a good permanent pole, the last one was blown down in a storm.
4. Discussed the status of Mr. Denardo surveying the fire station property. He has not been reached yet.
   1. Terenzini stated several people have approached him about having a question on the ballot about the engineering and design of the new building.

 

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

1. Recent calls for service were provided.
2. Chief Dumas asked for an executive session for a personnel matter.
3. Discussed a defense and indemnity letter to be applied to Deputy Chief Washburn while driving a Town Police vehicle even if not on duty.
   1. Ashcroft discussed adding language to reflect that the town is secondary to VLCT coverage if a claim were to be made.
   2. Ashcroft moved to accept the agreement with the added language. Mr. Faignant seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0.

Committee meeting updates:

1. A meeting will be setup soon specifically for the purpose of discussing the budget.
   1. Department heads such as the Listers, Planning Commission, Transfer Station and Emergency Management director will be made aware so they can also attend. After some discussion December 12^th at 6PM was selected.

New Business; Board to discuss increasing the depreciation fund contribution amount for Fire and Rec:

1. Recent committee meetings for both departments discussed this topic, top ensure when large purchases come up there is sufficient funds available to cover all or a large portion of the cost.
   1. For rec, the pool will likely need to be replaced within 10 years and would likely cost more than 1 milion.
   2. For fire, a new truck will need to be purchased in the next few years.
2. An additional $21,800 per department per year could be deposited with an increase of approximately $10 per year for a $200,000 home in the Town.
3. Discussed the use of the Sutton Fund to offset costs.
   1. The Select Board does not have direct control over the use of these funds

The board discussed the future of The Circle publication. Our current editor will be completing her last edition for Town Meeting Day and then she will be retiring.

1. A stipend should be planned in the budget
2. A new editor has not been found yet.

 

Mr. Denardo moved to enter executive session a personnel matter with Police Chief Mr. Ed Dumas and an additional executive session for a personnel matter with Town Highway Commissioner Mr. Byron Hathaway attending. Ms. Ashcroft seconded motion. The motion passed unanimously. The board entered executive session at 7:01 PM.

 

Upon leaving executive session at 7:24 PM, with no action being taken, Mr. Faignant moved to adjourn. Mr. Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Mr. Bill Sweet

 

Joshua C. Terenzini, Chairman

Mary Ashcroft, Clerk

John Paul Faignant

Joseph Denardo

Sharon Russell

 

Center Rutland, VT.