Selectboard Minutes 7-29-2025

Publish date: July 30, 2025

Selectboard Minutes 7-29-2025

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECTBOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

JULY 29th, 2025

 

  • 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 Lisa Knickerbocker, Robyn Sweet

Approval of Selectboard Minutes for July 23rd:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion carried 3 – 0. Selectman Denardo and Selectman Hathaway abstained.

Approval of Selectboard Minutes for July 15th:

Selectwoman Russell moved to approve the minutes.  Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion carried 4 – 0. Selectman Denardo abstained.

Approval of Orders

Selectman Denardo moved to approve the orders.  Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 – 0.

Update from the Selectboard Chair

The senior luncheon was very nice.

Board to meet with Megan Smith from the town of Mendon Selectboard

Discussed the duplicate road name in both towns, Heather Lane. The Town of Mendon has received complaints regarding issues, mainly around deliveries. One of the roads should be renamed. The respective town E-911 coordinators are in touch about it.

Discussed speeding on Town Line Road. Mendon is putting up a speed sign on the road to help discourage speeding. Asked the town to consider purchasing one for this road as well.

Jim Marsh Rutland Town Appointee to the Regional Board of Commissioners and Airport Committee

Reported on a recent meeting at the airport. There are plans to build more hangers, but infrastructure is needed. This was the first meeting to discuss it.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

  1. Maintenance tasks are ongoing around town.
  2. Reviewed the fence bids for the shared use path. Praticos bid $10,412. Springfield Fence bid $8950. It is for chain link fence. Selectman Denardo moved to award the bid to Springfield Fence for $8950. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 – 0.
  3. The second round of road side mowing has been done.
  4. Discussed what could be done long term to mitigate the poison parsnip. Options including spraying and additional mowing was discussed. The process to get approval for spraying is very involved.
  5. Discussed the water and sewer contract we have with the City of Rutland. The are some possible positive and negative consequences which could come from changing the agreement. Mary will reach out to our Town counsel and discuss the best way to move forward.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

  1. The new cruiser has been delivered. There are some issues with it. Payment is being held until the issues are resolved.
  2. Discussed the option to allow an employee to optout of the Town health insurance for a buyout. This will be referred to the Police Committee.
  3. We have still not received our new firearms, they are on back order.
  4. Selectman Denardo asked them to get a quote to have their patch made into a sign like what is on the front, and an updated price for the needed keypad.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

  1. Received an updated and lower priced quote for replacing the bathroom doors at Dewey. Still is working on getting a second quote.
  2. Thanked Bill for help installing new cameras at the pool to increase visibility and security.
  3. There is a disc golf tournament on August 9th for the New England Hearing Impaired.
  4. There were about 45 people at the last senior lunch. The next one will be at lake St. Catherine.
  5. Discussed the checking account the seniors have. At the recent lunch, the group discussed what should be done with it. They agreed the funds should be moved to the rec department and to close the account. Selectman Denardo moved to move the funds and close the account. Selectman Hathaway seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 – 0.
  6. This fall, all of the area U-10 soccer games will be hosted an Northwood Park.
  7. Discussed replacing the mower tractor at Dewey Field. It is more than 10 years old. A replacement one would cost approximately $11,000 after trading in the existing machine. This will be discussed with the rec committee.
  8. Discussed the comments received from VLCT on the draft background check policy. They raised some issues for discussion. This will also be referred to the committee for discussion. A committee meeting will be planned prior to the next board meeting.

Joe Denardo Rutland Town Public Safety Building Clerk

  1. The sprinkler system was finished on July 23rd.
  2. There is a drywall issue in the foyer for the police, and some baseboard is detaching. The vendor has been made aware.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

  1. The Planning Commission will be discussing phase 1 of the pocket park at the July 31st
  2. Examples of subdivision bylaws are being researched to see what can be used.
  3. A display will be made for the Town Wide Celebration.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

  1. The annual audit is nearly complete.
  2. Reminded department heads payments require invoices or statements. Bills cannot be paid without them. If the documents doesn’t state that, they wont pay them. An email requesting a manual check to be written will not be accepted going forward.
  3. A meeting between the finance committee and the auditor will be planned once the information is ready.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

  1. The board reviewed the contract for the south end sewer replacement project. It is not known if this incorporates all the comments made by our town counsel. After discussion, Selectman Hathaway moved to approve the contract with Casella Construction and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. During discussion, the Board was attempting to contact the town attorney for advice.

Selectman Hathaway moved to enter executive session pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 313 (a) (1) (F), for confidential attorney client communication. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 – 0. The Board entered executive session at 7:33 PM.

Upon leaving executive session, Selectman Hathaway moved to amend his pending motion to approve the contact and to authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board pending review by town counsel. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion carried 5 – 0.

Selectman Hathaway moved to adjourn. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:53 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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