Select Board Minutes 5-7-2024

Select Board Minutes 5-7-2024

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

MAY 7^th, 2024 

• 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

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for April 9^th:

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

Approval of Select Board Minutes for April 23^rd:

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

Update from the Select Board Chair

Articles for the last edition of The Circle before the summer break is May 15^th.

Thanked everyone in Town for their efforts around Green Up Day.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

1. Engine 4 has had body work done and is back at the station.
2. There have been 60 calls for service so far this year.
3. Members attended the Loyalty Day Parade in Rutland this past Sunday.
4. Discussed having a heating unit installed in the generator at the Center Rutland Fire Station, and if the new generator for the Public Safety Building has one. This will be investigated.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

1. Discussed the Rutland Town Seniors. Chairwoman Ashcroft reported on the status of their group. They do not have a President or Vice President currently. An effort will be made to organize an event with the help of Mike Rowe.
2. Taxes are due by Friday, May 10^th. Penalties will be imposed after this deadline. The office will be open until 2PM on the 10^th.
3. Discussed the School Budget. It did not pass at the recent revote. Members of the Select Board attended the School Board meeting the night before.
   1. The School Board voted to ask the Select Board to again approve mailing out ballots to everyone and to do so at the Towns expense. They did not set a date for the revote.
   2. The cost to execute the last election via mail was $9287.99.
   3. The Clerk and Assistant Clerk have planned time off in the next several weeks. This could affect the revote process.
   4. There were more votes in the special election, which was mailed to everyone, versus the March election which was not.
   5. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the request to mail out the ballots at the Towns’ expense, with the condition the School Board provides necessary personnel to help with ballot stuffing and other tasks. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. There was extensive discussion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
   6. Provided a form for the appointment of an authorized representative for the Vermont municipal bond bank. This person is the designated official to deal with the bond loan. Selectman Denardo moved to appoint Town Clerk and Treasurer Kari Clark, and to authorize the Chair to sign the appointment form on behalf of the Board. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

1. Recent calls for service were provided and reviewed.
2. Discussed some of the recent issues at The Cortina Inn.
3. Discussed a topic from the recent Police Committee meeting.
   1500. A request was made to purchase a rifle for the 2^nd Constable to have in his vehicle. The cost would be $1500. The funds will come from the Constable equipment fund in the next fiscal year. Selectman Getty moved to approve this purchase after July 1^st. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0 .
4. Officer Plakas has spent a lot of time ensuring registered sex offenders in town are complying. There may be some grant funds available to help cover his time while he is working on this.
5. Discussed the Child First Advocacy Center request for an officer. The funding they are offering the town may not cover the full cost of an officer. Chief Dumas has been asked to go back to CFAC to discuss the funding options and a schedule.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

1. The Planning Commission has been watching State Legislation which may mandate river corridors throughout the State.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

1. Baseball season has started.
2. The pool is scheduled to be open the first weekend in June. A full schedule is on the Town website.
3. Discussed the Rutland Town Seniors and getting some activities scheduled.
4. Discussed the purchase of a sprayer which could be mounted on the tractor. The cost is $4675.99. This could be used on all the town properties. The initial cost was proposed to come from the Capital improvement fund. We will contact VLCT to see if there is any liability or are any restrictions for Town employees doing the spraying. The balance of the capital improvement fund needs to be known as well.

Selectman Denardo reported on the recent Highway Committee meeting.

1. Discussed the Green Mountain Plaza intersection. A representative from VTrans was at the meeting and discussed what would be needed. A reconfiguration would greatly increase the amount of traffic able to leave the plaza.
2. The steering committee for the Route 7 North sidewalk project was decided. It is Selectman Denardo, Selectman Hathaway, Road Commissioner Dave Sears, and Town Administrator Bill Sweet. The committee would like to use the State At the Ready process to select a design consultant for the project. Selectman Denardo moved to recommend reviewing Dubois & King, Stantec and VHB as the 3. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
3. The request from the owners of the Eco Car wash to release them from the obligation to annually clean the sewer line was discussed. Selectman Denardo moved to have the car wash owners have the line cleaned and once that is done, they can be released from the agreement. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. A modification to the MOA is likely needed since there is a shared cost provision in it with Dennys Restaurant. After extensive discussion, the motion was tabled. Discussed having the line from the Dennys side checked, by a contractor, to see what it looks like.
4. Discussed updating the policy for accepting and reimbursing applicants who apply for an excavation in the Town right of way permit. Going forward, the deposit check will be deposited and held. Once the project is complete, and the Road Commissioner has determined no damage has been done, the applicant will need to request the deposit back.
5. Reviewed a request to purchase some new AED units. After discussion, Selectman Denardo moved to purchase 2 Zoll AED Plus units, a cabinet, and a case, from Reynolds and Son. The cost for the Rec unit will come from their depreciation account. The cost for the Highway unit will come from the Highway Garage miscellaneous line. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
6. Reviewed the draft easement related to the Stratton Road culvert. They will be forwarded to our town attorney for review.
7. Reviewed the estimate received for reducing the height of North Grove Street in the area of Cedar Avenue. The committee is recommending not moving forward unless alternative funding to town sources can be found.
8. Reviewed the discussion on the Simons Ave and Business Route 4 intersection. We will need to have VTrans involved with this discussion.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

1. The Listers are conducting site visits around Town to review construction projects.
2. 85 Business Personal property forms have been turned in. More than 50 are still outstanding. Some of these are large accounts.
3. The Grand List should be ready to lodge on time, but a small extension may be needed.

Marty Wasserman Rutland Town Emergency Management Director

1. Presented an updated Local Emergency Management Plan.
2. This is needed to ensure we stay eligible for reimbursement in the case of natural disasters.
3. Selectman Denardo moved to accept the updated LEMP, and to authorize Chairwoman Ashcroft and Selectman Hathaway to sign where needed. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

1. Discussed the Town scholarship process, and what changes may need to be made.
2. Reviewed 2 different E-911 address issues in Town.
   1. The address for 335 Tamarack Lane is out of sequence. This was not known until a new number for a new house was needed. After discussion, the Board agreed the address will need to be changed. A letter will be sent to the owners.
   2. A new address is needed off Crestway Drive. This will add a second house off a branch attached to Crestway Road. This branch is a private access and not part of a Town road.
      1. Discussed establishing a new road name now, which will affect 1 current resident. If this is not done, and a third house is built later, a new name would have to be established and would affect 2 residents.
      2. Partridge Place would be the preferred name.

• The paperwork will be created so it can be voted on at the next Board meeting.

3. The organizers of the Crowley Brothers Memorial Road Race is seeking permission again this year to have their race on some town roads. An insurance certificate was provided. Selectman Denardo moved to grant permission for the use of the specified roads. Selectmen Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 – 0.
4. Presented a contract agreement for Granicus. This is a vendor who would help us in identifying Short-Term rentals in town. The cost is $3000 for 1 year. Selectman Denardo moved to accept the contact and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed 3 – 2. Board Chair Ashcroft, Board Clerk Denardo and Board Member Getty voted in favor of the motion. Selectman Hathaway and Selectwoman Russell voted against the motion.

Selectman Denardo discussed having a bathroom installed at the Transfer Station and what would be involved. After discussion, we will request the City of Rutland flag their water mains which run through Northwood Park.

Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:43 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

________________________________ Mary Ashcroft, Chair	________________________________ Joseph Denardo, Clerk
________________________________ Sharon Russell	________________________________ Kurt Hathaway
________________________________ Matt Getty