Town of New Haven

Town of New Haven Selectmen’s meeting

7:00 pm Town Office

Tuesday June 19, 2007

Present: Keith Hall, Paul Audy, Burt Allen, Pam Kingman

Others: Betty Bell, Claire Van Buren, Barb Torian, Wayne Marcelle, Susie Leonard, Suzy Roorda, Bill Brim, Jeff Everest, Dale Everest, Mark Livingston, Pete LaPete, Roger Boise

AGENDA: Results

Read and approve minutes, make corrections if needed.

NEW BUSINESS

Visitors Business:

• Betty Bell – Will be painting the Riverside Cemetery fence soon she has purchased three gallons of paint and paint brushes from Martins Hardware @ $71.95.  She would like her grandson to help her with the painting, and she would like to get paid $20.00 per hour. She will compensate her grandson, Aaron. Paul Audy made a motion to accept the paint purchase and the hourly wage. Second by Keith Hall. All agree.
• Bill Brim – The generator has been moved back to the school. He is looking for confirmation to continue with the project of hooking the generator up. The last attempt was to try to bury the cable in PVC pipe, but the pipe was too small. At the last Emergency Management meeting it was decided they should ditch along the asphalt by Beemans blue storage unit and run a larger pipe with cable, then put the control panel in the school. Mr. Brim will contact Victor Bolduc to do the electrical work, as he was involved originally. Victor Bolduc will do another quote and come before the selectboard. Bill Brim asked if the generator should stay here or be moved back to the town shed.  He was approached last year by Beeman Elementary  principal, Carol Barnes acting for the schoolboard requesting to have the generator moved. It was decided that it should be moved back to the town shed, because it will be some time before the project is completed. First it will go to the Field Days Fair to be on hand as the back up generator. Bill Brim asked about leftover finances from the generator that was installed at the fire station, how much would be available to finish this project. Keith Hall motion to pursue costs and report back to the selectboard, second by Burt Allen. All agree.
• Susie Leonard – Sidewalk project / ROW along Main St.: Need to know how to go about obtaining strips of ROW, most of which will be temporary during construction. There will be two permanent rights of way for two signs. Sign locations are governed by Manual Uniform Traffic Control  Devices and signs need a clear zone. Ms. Leonard suggested approaching the following landowners by letter: Johnson’s, Quinn’s, Everest’s, Sr. and the Town. She has drafted letters asking them if they would consider donating the land intended for both temporary and permanent rights of way. This would save a considerable amount of money. She added if they say no, it would have to be negotiated. Right now the project is under budget and there may be some money available  to buy the ROW. Most are temporary and would be a four foot wide strip. Total grant money is $236,000, the town has to match 10% of the grant; to date the town has spent roughly $3,000  - $5,000. Jeff Everest has concerns that the whole process hasn’t been done legally and said you can’t vote it in the budget. He called the Secretary of States office and they told him, “If it involved grant money, you can’t hide it in the budget.” Susie Leonard asked if he had anything in writing. Mr. Everest said he would get something. There was discussion on the traffic study that was done by the State. Claire Van Buren will contact the Secretary of State.
• Mark Livingston – Representing the New Haven Fire Dept. - the water quality at the station is terrible. They would like to install a water softener, came to ask if the town would pay $600.00 for the water softener. He can install it at no charge. It will be installed on the fire department side, but will be hooked up so that the road crew can use it as well. Fire Dept. will be responsible for their salt purchase for the softener. Keith Hall made a motion to purchase the water softener, second by Paul Audy. All agree.
• Phil Busier – He says he doesn’t want to be present for the selectboard  meetings over the summer. The road crew is working on finishing up Twitchell Hill Rd. They had to stop for a time to work on Pearson Rd. to build it up for the Rattlin’ Bridge project. The plan on Pearson Rd. is to put in a larger culvert to accommodate the water flow and put it in deep enough that when the bridge is done and the heavy equipment is ready to leave it won’t hurt the new culvert. Keith Hall suggested Phil Busier and Katie Reilley come up with a dollar amount for time and materials the town has put in to Pearson Rd. to make it accessible for the bridge project. Munger St. – would like to dig down and see how much base there is; about 3/10^th of a mile. Phil Busier added that he would like to grind up the existing tar and mix it with two inch stone to use as the new base. Sand Pit – would like to hire an excavator to get to the sand that is under about a foot of clay. Paul Audy made a motion to hire excavator, second by Keith Hall. All agree. Keith Hall asked if they should hire another person for the road crew. Keith Hall mentioned a letter that he drafted stating the selectboard no longer wants our road crew helping out other towns unless it is an emergency. Paul Audy said he is tired of hearing from people in town. Paul Audy made a motion to sign the letter to Phil and Scott Busier, second by Keith Hall. Burt Allen declined. There was discussion of our road crew sharing work with other towns, plowing private driveways or doing things that are illegal. Coupled with the amount of complaints that have been received, it is different if there is an emergency.
• Keith Hall – spoke with town lawyer Jim Ouimette about a personnel matter. The selectboard has interviewed three architects Keith Hall feels it is time to hire one of them. Paul Audy made a motion to hire Peter Morris, second by Burt Allen. All agree. Peter Morris has hired Jerry Smiley to help him with drawings. It was discovered that when the new town office goes in, there will be more available parking spaces if the building faces the town hall instead of North St. This will also leave the well that is on the north side of the king house untouched and usable.  All three selectboard members agree they like the building turned to face the town hall and it will save money to be able to use the existing well. Keith Hall also brought up the fact that with changing the position of the town office will mean having to move the carriage barn to the back corner of the property. Barb Torian mentioned that there are many people that are interested in the carriage barn. She also asked for permission to move the bushes and flowers that are at the king house so they can be replanted at the new town office. Barb Torian also requested a large storage container to store all the stuff that is in the king house.  Pam Kingman will gather information about the storage containers. Barb Torian asked if the selectboard would be willing to come in to sign orders around July 3, 2007.  Paul Audy made a motion to accept Barb Torian’s requests, second by Keith Hall. All agree.
• Suzy Roorda – Town Hall applications: Addison Northeast Supervisory Union 6/18 – 6/22/07 gym and cafeteria. Town Library series program 7/3/07 - gym. New Haven Women Anglers 6/20/07 – gym. Rain Location for Town Fair / Firemen’s BBQ 7/21/07 - whole building. Burt Allen made a motion to approve and sign all applications, second by Paul Audy. All agree.
• Wayne Marcelle – Gym window on south side of building is rotten, they are old windows probably no longer under warranty. This is going to need to be repaired by someone who has access to a lift.   

He recently was asked by the town treasurer, Barb Torian to fill out a time card; he feels this is unnecessary because he is salaried. Town Clerk, Claire Van Buren spoke up and said she too is on salary, but must fill out a time card. Everyone who works for the town fills one out and the road crew punches a time clock. There was discussion if this was necessary for salaried employees. Keith Hall will look into the matter.

Jason Sabourin mailed the town a letter stating he feels his dog should only be charged with one attack, not two. The attack took place in May 2007 on his neighbor’s property. Wayne Marcelle still feels he should be charged with the two attacks. Paul Audy made a motion to keep it as two separate attacks, second by Keith Hall. All agree.

REGULAR BUSINESS:

• The chain that closes off the back of the school to thru traffic was broken in half just before the end of school. Wayne Marcelle said he would buy a link to fix it.
• The basketball hoop in the gym needs a winch to be able to raise and lower the hoop. Wayne Marcelle will look into this.
• There are planks that the town purchased last year for the Rattlin’ Bridge that we can no longer use. The Selectboard has decided to sell the planks for $ 1.30 a board foot, first there needs to be an inventory done.
• Appointments: Energy Coordinator – Bill Brim

                             Regional Planning – Allen Karnatz

• The town employees have asked the selectboard to authorize the purchase of reserved parking signs. Paul Audy made a motion to go ahead and purhase, second by Burt Allen. All agree.
• Paul Audy made a motion to name the road for the Schaefer sub-division: Fair View Lane. Seconded by Keith Hall. All agree.
• Town employees requested the selectboard hire Michelle Litch to clean the office and the bathrooms on a weekly basis. She will work five hours a week @ $15.00 per hour for a trial period of three weeks. The selectboard will discuss the matter again at the July 17^th meeting. Burt Allen made a motion to hire Michelle Litch, seconded by Keith Hall. All agree.

MISC. CORRESPONDCE:

• Peter Morris – Proposed New Haven Municipal building: foundation drain outlet. No action taken.
• Addison Co. Regional Planning – Invitation to Transportation Advisory committee meeting. No action taken.
• Addison Co. Regional Planning – received grant to develop a river corridor plan for the New Haven River. Location starts at Rt. 116 in Bristol to the Audy farm in New Haven. They are notifying all landowners that will be affected. No action taken.
• Addison Co. Transit – Thank you for funds
• Ouimette and Runcie – J. Madden v. Town of New Haven – Update: case has been dismissed.
• VLTC – Offering DME (durable medical equipment). No action taken.

NEWS LETTERS:

• Addison Co. Regional Planning
• Opinions

TREASURERES REPORT:

• Sign pay orders

Adjourn: 9:15 pm

Respectfully submitted

Pam Kingman