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Town of New Haven Selectmen’s Meeting

7:00 pm Town Clerks Office

Tuesday December 19, 2006

Present: Burt Allen, Paul Audy, Keith Hall, Barb Torian

Others: Bill Brim, Harold Tricou, Chris Bray, Suzy Roorda

AGENDA: Results

Read and approve minutes make corrections if needed. 

NEW BUSINESS

Visitors Business:

• Chris Bray – Legislative preview – Burt Allen – inquired about the transportation money.  Discussion of taxing one thing and then using the money for something else.  Discussion of trying to find money for bridges.  Chris Bray – Thanks for seeing him.  He would like to come in every 4-6 weeks or so and up date the board on what might impact the town.  Discussion on Rattlin Bridge and making sure that it remains on the list to be done in the spring.  Discussion of the education bill.  Discussion Property taxes being too high.  Discussion of holding public forums on big issues when they come up.  

• Health Insurance – Selectboard decided to stay with VLCT and switch the health insurance from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Cigna.  Motion Paul Audy.  Second by Burt Allen.  All agree.

Bill Brim – Emergency Management – Randy Sargent has the generator and is working on building a cage to protect it.  Victor Bolduc may need to run a different type of conduit underground.  He is waiting for information from the inspector.  May not be finished with all the generator related expenses by the end of the year.  The people from Red Cross came to certify all of the emergency shelter locations.  Discussion of not using the Town Hall for a shelter when the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is open.  The United Reform Church would be the best location and facility to use as the main shelter.  Discussion of what to do with the extra transfer switch.  Would like to negotiate with the Church to install it there.  Discussion of not wanting to have all the shelters too close together.  Draft proposal of agreement with the Red Cross was given to the board.  The agreement would allow the Red Cross to come in and take control of a shelter in case of an emergency.

Bill Brim – presented updated Rapid Response Plan – which was adopted and signed.

Each selectboard member came up with some names of people to act for the board in case one member becomes incapacitated.  This is in preparation for a potential pandemic.  Keith Hall - Betty Bell or Earl Bessette.  Paul Audy – Larry Buck or Tom Boise.  Burt Allen – Andy Dykstra or John McKinley.

Bill Brim – suggested that the board find a way to make sure that the Continuity of Government and the Raped Response Plans get done every year after Town Meeting. 

• Vermont Marble Power – Otter Creek Project – Questionnaire – Burt Allen will fill it out.

• Hot water heater has been installed

• Gym Floor – slippery – There have been several complaints about the Gym floor being very slippery and it is just a matter of time before someone gets hurt.  Tony Bosnich has tried various things to keep the surface clean and not slick.  The surface really needs to be re- done.  Burt Allen suggested putting Epsom salts into a top coat to cut down on the slick surface.  Burt Allen will talk to Wayne Marcelle.

• Mold on hall wall -  Discussion of mold on the walls in the hall.  A little bit of bleach and water should take care of the problem before it gets worse.  Burt Allen will talk to Wayne Marcelle. 

 Suzy Roorda - Discussion of Town Hall applications – it is time for people to renew their applications.  Discussion of requiring proof of insurance for Karate – Will ask Travis Paquette to come to next board meeting.  Discussion about whether people should be making money from uses in the Town Hall. 

• Tabulators – This is the last chance for Towns to get money from the State to purchase Tabulators.  The State will provide a tabulator to the town (cost of almost $7,000.00) if the voters pass an article at Town Meeting.  The board will put an article on the warning.  Tabulators will not change the use of a paper ballot and would not be used all the time.  Maintenance fee would be around $200.00 per year.  Programming fees would vary depending on election used.  Would be required to use them for General Elections.  This will be a requirement before long and it would be good to have the State pay for a tabulator.

• VLCT PACIF – Renewal - Rates have come back for the upcoming year.

• Appointments   - no action

Conservation Commission

Energy Coordinator

Addison County Transit Resource

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

• Follow up from last meeting
  • Continuity of Government Selectboard replacement names. – see above

Meeting schedule will be January 9, 16 and possibly the 30^th for regular business.  Budget meetings will be on January 11^th and 18^th at 11:00 am.

ROADS - (Phil Busier unable to attend meeting due to illness.)

• Job Applications – Applications were reviewed.  Burt Allen will look into applicants.

• Follow up from last meeting –

• Fuel bids – Bids were opened Ultramar was .25 over rack price and B&W Fuels was .14 over Rack including delivery.  No tax will be charge.  Champlain Valley Plumbing and Heating is currently at.17 over the Rack price.  Burt Allen motion to accept B & W bid at $.14 over rack.  Would like to make sure they know to keep the tank full and that the proper mixture for winter or summer is always maintained.  Keith Hall Second.  All agree.

• Propane at the Fire Station – Discussion - The Selectboard will pay for the propane for the Fire Station.  Keith Hall motion, seconded by Burt Allen – All agree.
• Cutting edges - Discussion – Phil Busier tried to get a deal on blades by going in with several towns; he let them know what he needed.  Starksboro placed the order and the blades originally came in at higher price than thought.  After negotiating with the company the price was reduced if we keep all the blades. Paul Audy does not like the idea of paying money for something that will be sitting around.  Should be ordering what we need, we should send the extra blades back.  Burt Allen – thought we should keep them.  Burt Allen motion to pay the $20,000.00 bill and keep the blades.  Keith Hall second.  Paul Audy voted against.  Discussion of working on next year’s budget and only spending the budgeted amount.  Discussion of problems that can arise from trying to go in with other towns.

• Town / Palmer Agreement – no action

·        Sign pay orders – signed.

MISC. Correspondence

• VLCT PACIF – Renewal Insurance
• State of Vermont – License suspension – Coco mart
• Addison County Regional Planning Commission – Browns-fields

 Treasurers Report

 Sign pay orders

 Adjourn:  9:15

 Respectfully submitted:

Barbara Torian