Select Board Minutes 12-19-2023

Select Board Minutes 12-19-2023

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

DECEMBER 20^th, 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 Shelley Dumas

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for December 5^th:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. Chairwoman Ashcroft added details to the Dyer Road discussion. The motion for the amended minutes passed 5 – 0.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for December 11^th:

Selectman Denardo moved to approve the minutes.  Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

1. Board Chair Ashcroft thanked Kari, and everyone else involved, for their effort to get the bond application in on time.
2. Discussed the need for a curative resolution, at the advice of our bond counsel. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the Curative Validation Resolution as presented. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The resolution requires a two-thirds majority vote. A roll call was taken for this purpose. Selectman Denardo, Selectwoman Russell, Selectman Hathaway, Selectman Getty, and Board Chair Ashcroft all voted in favor.
3. Reviewed topics from the Police / Finance Committee meeting this morning.
   1. The purchase of permanent speed signs to use in our school zone on Post Road was reviewed. There is money in the current budget for them. Selectman Getty moved to approve the purchase per the quote from Stalker radar. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
   2. Discussed how to use the money received from the hotels, the updated draft budget, and hiring an additional officer.
      1. If a new officer is hired, they would be assigned the cruiser formerly used by the Police Chief.
      2. Based on information reviewed from the Finance / Police Committee meeting this morning and discussion at this meeting, Selectman Denardo moved to designate $150,000 as the anticipated funds to be received from the hotel program. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion passed 5 – 0.

• Selectman Getty moved to approve the Police budget as presented of $571,035. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

4. Selectman Hathaway moved to authorize the Police Chief to hire an additional Full-Time officer. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The cost of the new officer will come from the available hotel funds. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

1. Reviewed the recent Shop with a Cop event held downtown. Town Police Officer Antje Schermerhorn worked very hard and collected $3800 to help the kids be able to make the purchases.
2. Recent calls for service were provided and reviewed.

Mike Delehanty Town 1^st Constable

1. There has been a sharp increase in animal related complaints at The Cortina Inn recently. There is a large increase in the number of animals in the facility. The issues are being addressed as they come up.

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

1. The steel structure at the new building is going up.
2. Discussed a recent message from the state regarding Health Officer powers and the options to establish policies. Discussed what other towns have done. Mr. Faignant will look at what other towns have done and report back to the Board.
3. Speed patrols are continuing in town as speeding is still a problem.
4. Reviewed the recent change order from the architect. The amount for this is $182,388. This is related to unsuitable soil and additional cold weather constructions costs.
   1. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the change order and to authorize John Paul Faignant to sign on behalf of the Town. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

1. Reviewed the Housing Resource Navigator Program. There will be a survey for the Select Board, the Planning Commission, and the general public.
   1. Information will be shared with the towns when it is available.
   2. After discussion, the Board will review survey results from the public before deciding on submitting their own survey.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

1. The ice-skating rink is up at the school and will be filled when the fire department has time.
2. Basketball games will start after winter break.

Discussed the recent Highway Committee meeting.

1. The Town of Clarendon sent a proposal for a winter maintenance trade for our Class 4 section of Quarterline Road for their section of Creek Road from the town line to Alfrecia Road. Due to the increased costs to the Town, the committee is recommending declining the offer. Selectman Denardo moved to decline the offer. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. Our response to Clarendon will include some of the reasons for the decision. The motion passed 5 – 0.
2. The Highway Department will be launching their own Facebook page.
3. The Wynnmere HOA delivered a packet of paperwork to us to support their request for the Town to take over the road. Commissioner Sears has taken the paperwork to review it to determine what is present and / or still needed.
4. The Committee discussed Town Highway numbers. The State list will be used in all town documents, except in the Listers office.
5. The Dyer Road issue was discussed. The deliberative session will be put on the Board agenda for January 2^nd.
6. The committee is recommending adopting the updated Streets and Sidewalks Ordinance. Copies will be provided for the January 2^nd meeting to start the process.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

1. Discussed a request to hire Gail Gantick for assessing services for $30,000. The current amount in the budget is $6500.
   1. The State is changing the way appraisals are handled and her services will help us maintain the business personal property data.
   2. Her rate has stayed the same from 1998 to now. Discussed the cost versus benefit of using her services going forward, with the Listers Office having 3 on staff.
   3. It is not clear who owns the data she has created over the years.
   4. There has been $30,000 in invoices paid this fiscal year. The $23,500 above the budgeted amount was taken from the reappraisal account. Lister Chioffi said this was approved by the Vermont Tax Department because this was for reappraisal work.
   5. The reappraisal account is funded from the State annually with a per parcel payment. The annual payment is approximately $18,000.
   6. It is not known when a Town wide reappraisal will be necessary, but it could be within the next 2 to 3 years.
   7. Selectman Denardo moved to put $30,000 in the reappraisal line for the next budget. Selectman Getty seconded the motion.
   8. Selectman Hathaway moved to table the motion to allow time to get more information on the topic. Selectman Denardo agreed. The motion was tabled.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

1. Provided quotes for the cost of purchasing and equipping a new utility truck.
   588. Quotes were included for the truck, warning lights, radios, and graphics. The total came to $70,588.14. All vendor prices meet bid requirements.
   589. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the purchase of the truck and equipment and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. The funds will come from the Fire Depreciation account. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
   590. Discussed the plan for what to do with the truck it is replacing. The Chief asked for the Board to allow it to be offered to fire department members first. After discussion, the approximate value of the truck will be determined and a method to sell it will be decided on.
2. Discussed sending the draft letter provided to Board members to property owners in Town who have a private fire hydrant as defined by the ordinance. This would allow owners who have them to plan to have them tested ahead of the October 1^st deadline in the ordinance. After discussion, the letter will be sent with some minor changes from the draft.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

1. Our lawn maintenance contract ended this fall. Provided a draft RFP to get bids on new services. This will be published with bids due January 26^th.
2. The deadline for the Town report is coming soon. All items to be included in the report need to be in by January 24^th.
3. Discussed setting a date for pre-town meeting. Selectman Hathaway moved to set Tuesday January 16^th as the date. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The School Board sent a request asking to always present their budget first, and to start 30 minutes before the time the Select Board would like to start. After discussion, we will reply to the School Board they can go first this year, and the Select Board would like to start at 7PM. The motion passed 5 – 0. Board Chair Ashcroft will present the General Budget. Selectman Denardo will present the Highway Budget. Selectwoman Russell will present the Rec Budget. Selectman Hathaway will present the Fire Budget. Selectman Getty will present the Police Budget.

Selectman Denardo moved to enter executive session for a personnel matter with Town Fire Chief Chris Clark attending, a security issue with Town Administrator Bill Sweet attending, and to discuss a land sale transaction. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The Board entered executive session at 9:03PM.

Upon leaving executive session, with no action being taken, Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 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.