Select Board Minutes 11-21-2023

Publish date: November 22, 2023

Select Board Minutes 11-21-2023

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

NOVEMBER 21st, 2023

 

  • The meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the pledge of allegiance.
  • Board members present Mary Ashcroft, Joe Denardo, Sharon Russell, Kurt Hathaway, and Matt Getty
  • Members of the public present Karl Ronn, Robyn Sweet, Shelley Dumas

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for November 7th:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Update from the Select Board Chair

Attended the Rutland Ad-hoc Housing Working Group meeting. There is a initiative to bring 1000 housing units to the area soon.

Attended a site visit with the Planning Commission to view where a proposed solar installation would go.

Reminder of the site visit to Dyer Road on Monday November 27th to view it as part of the process to throw it up.

Board to meet with Mendon Select Board Chair Valorie Taylor regarding speed limits.

  1. Larry Courcelle was also present. He is a former Mendon Select Board member, and head of their steering committee.
  2. They are asking for help from the Town to coordinate efforts in reducing posted speed limits from the Town line at Home Depot through Mendon to the Killington town line.
  3. There have been a number of fatalities on the Mendon section of US 4.
  4. Mendon has a scoping study current being developed.
  5. The Board asked them to follow up once it is complete so the coordination can be discussed with the data available.

Question from the Floor / Public Comment

  1. Karl Ronn from Wynnemere was present to discuss with the Board the Town taking over Carmel Place.
    1. Discussed the history of their requests for the Town. The group initially asked for the Town to take over the road, then changed the ask to allow them to use the town bid price for paving. They are again asking for the Town to take over the road. Mr. Ronn said they have located nearly all the documents required.
    2. The Highway Committee will schedule a time to meet with representatives from Wynnmere after copies of the paperwork they located are brought to Town Hall for review.
    3. There are private contract services doing road maintenance now. If the road is accepted, the Town would only plow the road. They would still be responsible for any additional services.
    4. Taking over the road would require address changes. The group is aware of this.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

  1. Recent calls for service were provided. There were 75 calls for service, and 7 traffic stops.
  2. The quote for the radio for the new vehicle was received. It is $5700. The vendor is waiting for it to be delivered so it can be installed.
  3. Reviewed topics from the recent Police Committee meeting.

Discussed setting a special Board meeting to work on finalizing the budgets. December 11th at 530PM will be the meeting.

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

  1. Public Safety Building architect Ed Clark provided analyses of change orders for the building.
  2. Concrete work should be done this week. Delivery of the steel is anticipated in early December.
  3. An executive session is anticipated for the end of the meeting to discuss advice from Town Counsel related to the building.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

  1. Reviewed the budget last week for the next fiscal year.
  2. Discussed the solar site visit.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

  1. Basketball will begin the week after Thanksgiving.
  2. The ice-skating rink will be put up soon.
  3. The Northwood Park mountain biking trails are done.
  4. Discussed the recent Rec Committee meeting. The committee is recommending adopting the participation policy in place and agreed upon by area Rec Directors. Selectwoman Russell moved to adopt the policy. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

  1. Worked on the Northwood Park shared use path recently. It is coming along very well.
  2. Investigated a drainage issue on Killington Avenue and Sunset Drive. It should be resolved.
  3. The new trucks are ready to go for the winter maintenance season.
  4. Discussed Quarterline Road maintenance. Sourcing a grader and operator is ongoing.
  5. A letter was received from the Town of Clarendon following up with us after their Board discussed the Quarterline Road issue. After discussion, we will reply to their Board with a copy of our Class 4 Road Maintenance policy. The truck plowing the paved section of Quarterline Road is not setup for dirt roads.
  6. Reviewed topics from the recent Highway Committee meeting.
    1. Discussed Town Highway numbers and how they are assigned.
    2. The State is responsible for providing new Town Highway numbers. The Listers had been assigning them independently. After a discussion with VT AOT, neither the Listers nor the State will change their existing list to match the other. The next new Town Highway will be assigned 201 and will then increase from there. This is acceptable to the State and the Listers.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

  1. Provided updated information based on the discussion at the recent Fire Committee meeting.
    1. Discussed how to account for building maintenance expenses for the Public Safety Building, and how to split between the Police and Fire Departments. The fire budget will level fund building maintenance costs, and the same dollar amounts will be added to the general budget.
    2. Going forward, general Public Safety Building costs will be included in the General Budget.
    3. Discussed the timeframe to update the hourly administrative rates paid to department members. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the increases as presented by the Chief, effective January 1st. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
    4. Discussed the timeframe to update the hourly daytime call rates paid to department members. This will be brought up at the budget discussion.
    5. Reviewed the current depreciation account contribution. The last change was 2001. Changes must be approved by voters. No action was taken.
  2. Discussed replacing a 30+ year old pick up. This will be discussed at a Fire Committee meeting.
  3. Discussed the maintenance of private fire hydrants. The ordinance is under review and will be discussed at a Fire Committee meeting.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

  1. Land records became available online today. The link is on the Clerk and Treasurer page on the Town website. It is not a complete inventory of every land record. There is a message viewers will see giving them the timeframe available online.
  2. Underwriting to setup automatic tax payments has been completed. Information on how to sign up will be made available soon.
  3. Discussed financing options for the Public Safety Building. Deadlines for applications are soon.
    1. Municipalities can only secure traditional financing in 5-year terms. Bonds are the option to finance for a longer single term. Discussed the benefits of each, loan terms and interest rates.
    2. Selectman Getty moved to select the bond bank as the financing option. Board Chair Ashcroft seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion passed 5 – 0.
    3. Discussed the length of term for the bond. The total loan needed is $2.5M. Selectman Hathaway moved to bond for a 10-year term. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The approximate annual payment for a 10-year bond loan would be $303,000 including interest. After discussion, the motion passed 5 – 0.
    4. Discussed selecting a bond counsel. A list of options was reviewed. Selectman Denardo moved to authorize the Finance Committee to locate and secure bond counsel for the purpose of securing a bond for the public safety building. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Larry Dell Veneri Town Transfer Station Manager

  1. The State requires a letter from the Town stating we can cover the cost of closing the transfer station. A draft letter was provided. After discussion, Selectman Hathaway moved to approve signing the letter. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

  1. Anyone needing budget sheets can get copies next week. Version dates will be included on them to help track changes.

Board to discuss / approve agreement with The Cortina Inn owners.

  1. The owners sent us a copy they have signed.
  2. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the contract as presented and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The contract reflects the agreed upon changes. The contract provides for catch-up payments, and monthly payments going forward. Selectman Getty pointed out this is done within the power the Board has to help mitigate issues experienced with the program. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Selectman Getty moved to enter executive session to discuss advice from Town Counsel and a land transaction, with Town Public Safety Building Clerk John Paul Faignant attending. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0. The Board entered executive session at 8:35PM.

Selectwoman Russell left the meeting during the executive session.

Upon leaving executive session, Selectman Getty moved to authorize Selectman Denardo to communicate with architect Ed Clark to discuss the proposed change orders and report back to the board. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 3 – 0. Selectman Denardo abstained.

Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

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Mary Ashcroft, Chair

 

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Joseph Denardo, Clerk

 

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Sharon Russell

 

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Kurt Hathaway

 

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Matt Getty

 

Center Rutland, VT.

 

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