Town of New Haven

Town of New Haven Selectmen’s Meeting

7:00 pm Town Offices

Tuesday October 23, 2007

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

Others: Claire Van Buren, Michelle Litch, Barb Torian, Betty Bell, Suzy Roorda, Deb Fortier, Ray Fortier, Lowell Nottingham, Wayne Marcelle, Roger Boise, Earl Bessette, Jeff Everest, Dale Everest, Warren Whitcomb

AGENDA RESULTS:

Read and approve minutes make corrections if needed.

ROADS Update – see attached – no comments from Selectboard

NEW BUSINESS

Visitors Business:

• Michelle Litch – Changes to the Grand List, most notably the Denton Lyons property on Main Sreet. Every year the selectboard approves changes to the Grand List. This year there were more than 50 changes because of the State payments.

A portion of the Lyons property was sold to Sylvia and Albert Goodrich, with the closing on March 30, 2007. The lawyer for the Goodrich’s prorated the taxes at the time of closing. Sylvia Goodrich came into the Town office to discuss the matter with Town Clerk, Claire Van Buren who instructed Mrs. Goodrich to talk to her attorney. Partial payment was received from the Lyons Trust, and a letter with partial payment towards Goodrich’s was also received. Then after October 1, 2007 the Warrant was handed over to the Delinquent Tax Collector. The Goodrichs are now questioning why they are delinquent, and their attorney is saying the Town is wrong. Lawyers for both the Lyons and the Goodrichs are saying the property was not deducted properly, and now there are 2 parcels that have gone delinquent. Both lawyers say they shouldn’t be. The Listers made a mistake by not reducing the parcel size for the Lyon’s parcel but that has now been corrected.                                                                                 The State determines that you can go by the closing date or the date it was received for recording. In this case it was received at the Town Office on April 2, 2007. A letter was written to the Town’s attorney for him to look over. Burt Allen asked how much money is currently delinquent. The amount is $1,115.89 for the Lyon’s Trust and $ 357.65 for Goodrich, both include interest and penalties. Michelle Litch, Barb Torian and Claire Van Buren all feel that the Town is right and that both parties had ample time to pay the taxes by October 1, 2007. Paul Audy said he agrees with Litch, Torian and Van Buren and that letters to both lawyers should be mailed out. Paul Audy made a motion to have letters mailed to both attorneys and property owners involved. Keith Hall seconded the motion. All agreed.

• Claire Van Buren – Dog issue – new dog (Rotti mix) owned by Nick Liberio has been reported running with his other dog early in the morning and late at night. The dog was picked up by a Staff member at Beeman Elementary School after it was seen wandering around on school grounds during school. The dog was delivered to the Town Offices and Pam Kingman called the Dog Warden to come in and pick up the dog because it didn’t have any tags on it. Wayne Marcelle asked Pam Kingman to call Barry Forbes to come and get the dog because he was on a bus in Middlebury. Pam Kingman called Mr. Forbes who said he would be there to get the dog immediatly. Mr. Liberio showed up to claim the dog just prior to Barry Forbes arrival. Because a profile of the dog was faxed from the Humane Society in order to license the dog for proof of neutering a call was placed to the Humane Society questioning how a dog with such a reputation could be adopted out to live in the Village of New Haven, and within 175’ of an Elementary School. The Humane Society was not much help. They felt there was nothing they could do to take the dog back unless it did someone harm.  In recent weeks, since this dog has come into town several cats have been severely mauled, gone missing or have been found dead. More frustrating phone calls were placed to the Addison County Humane Society by Claire Van Buren, Burt Allen and Wayne Marcelle.                                                                                                           Dale and Jeff Everest said they were out for a walk recently and encountered the 2 dogs out running on the Village Green. The dogs charged at them, the Rotti was baring his teeth. They were both quite alarmed that both dogs were on Town property and not leashed. There was discussion about the leash law in Town as well as the new signs on the Town Green for “Curbing your dog.” Claire Van Buren has written a letter to the Board of Directors of the Addison County Humane Society questioning their adoption policy. Claire Van Buren asked the selelctboard if they agreed with her mailing the letter.  Paul Audy made a motion to have Claire Van Buren send the letter, seconded by Burt Allen. All agreed. Paul Audy also made a motion to have a letter mailed to Nick Liberio stating the Town will take action if the 2 dogs are caught on Town or School property. Seconded by Burt Allen. All agreed.
• Betty Bell – Needs another gallon of paint for the Riverside Cemetery fence so she can finish the east side.  Burt Allen made a motion to allow Betty Bell to purchase a can of paint at Martin’s Hardware, and get reimbursed from the Town. Seconded by Paul Audy. All agreed.
• Betty Bell – Historical Society has been offered the Advent Church that used to sit next to the Dog Team Tavern.  Tom and Shelley Erikson and Tom and Linda Mansfield who now own the property offered the church if the Historical Society could find someone to help them move the building to where the Dog Team Tavern used to be. This would put the church on a 1 acre parcel in the middle of the 5 acres, and the Erikson’s and Mansfield would retain two, 2 acre parcels on either side of the church. Betty Bell has been meeting with the Middlebury Area Land Trust and the Eriksons and Mansfields to see if MALT can help with moving the church. A representative from MALT will be at the next Historical Society Meeting on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 @ 7:00. The meeting will be held at the New Haven Congregational Church.  Everyone is welcome to come and discuss the possibilities.  Betty Bell also asked that one of the selectboard attend the meeting. She added she knows that it would require a vote from the Town; it is just in the early stages now. It would be a two year minimum to rebuild anything at the Dog Team site which would be up in July of 2009.
• Suzy Roorda – Application from Green up Vermont, asking for donation of $100 and Coordinator name.  Paul Audy made a motion to make Suzy Roorda continue to act as Green up Coordinator, and to donate $100 to Green up Vermont.  Seconded by Keith Hall. All agreed.
• Suzy Roorda – Garbage on the Village Green Garbage has been there since the Summer Festival in July. She has repeatedly asked the Road Crew to take care of it as they have in the past. She realizes they are busy, but would appreciate it if they would dump the bins. Burt Allen said he will ask Phil Busier to empty the trash bins then take them back to the Shed with him. Burt Allen will call Casella Waste Management and find out if they would be willing to pick up the trash on the Village Green on their way to Saturday morning recycling at the Town Garage.
• Deb and Ray Fortier – King House move will not happen until March 2008. The Fortiers are still interested and are very frustrated that the King House hasn’t been moved to their property yet. They explained the mover they hired, Emile Desautels is getting older and he doesn’t like to work in the cold weather. It would be almost February before the house could be moved if Mr. Desautels started now. Mr. Desautels assured the Fortiers he could move the house in March, and it will take at least 3 – 4 weeks to move the King house. The Fortiers would like to be able to work on the house over the winter to prepare it for the move. Mr. Desuatels advised them to remove as much plaster as they could to make the house lighter, and he told them they will need to replace 2 beams in the cellar prior to the move. The Fortiers would like to have the property transferred to them so they can work on the house over the next few months. The Fortiers checked their Insurance and it covers the Town only for liability. Paul Audy said he would like to hold off on changing ownership until the Fortiers are ready to move the house. Keith Hall spoke with the Towns insurance who said if the Fortier’s were to take possession before the move and something happened to the house, the Town would not benefit one nickel. Deb Fortier suggested the Town keep ownership. They will go in and do the work on the house before the move and they will acquire their own liability insurance during that time. Barb Torian said the King House property is insured for $600,000. Discussion continued on the agreement between the Town and the Fortiers, and the possibility that Emile Desautels may not be around to move the house this spring, because of his age. The Fortiers reassured the selectboard there are no expectations from the Town; they have planned the move around the estimates from Emile Desautels. Suzy Roorda questioned whether the selectboard wants to keep the storage trailer for the winter. Paul Audy said he would just as soon keep the trailer where it is; it doesn’t cost that much to rent it.
• Lowell Nottingham – Park and Ride Grant – the Town has received the grant for $30,000.00 (thanks to Lowell Nottingham for doing the grant application). The Park and Ride grant requires the parking lot to have at least 10 parking spaces, which is feasible for the new parking lot to go along with the new Town Offices. The State is waiting to hear from the Town on Insurance coverage. Pam Kingman will have Vermont League of Cities and Towns fax the coverage information to the Agency of Transportation.
• Lowell Nottingham – Energy Audit for Beeman Elementary School -  The schoolboard is looking into ways to conserve energy, and ways to cut costs on heating. Mr. Nottingham wanted to let the office workers to know there may be some folks poking around the Town Hall to find ways to cut costs.
• Lowell Nottingham – Ball Field – Case Street Redi Mix is finished working on the backstop. They back dragged the field and the grass is growing nicely.
• Suzy Roorda – Outdoor Lights that were donated from Bristol Recreation several years ago, are still being stored in the carriage barn behind to the King house. They are older and would be expensive to run.  Mrs. Roorda is wondering what to do with them. Barb Torian said she spoke with Bill LePore who works for Omega. He said he will come and look at the lights and give us a cost estimate and alternative for the lights. No action taken.
• Suzy Roorda – Band Stand needs staining. Next year will be 3 years since it has had its original stain applied.  The cost would be between $1,000 – 2,000. Paul Audy made a motion to wait until next spring to stain the gazebo; seconded by Keith Hall. All agreed.
• Suzy Roorda – Sundial Pedestal was donated to the Town by Lauria Connelley. The sundial will be placed on the Village Green in the spring.
• Wayne Marcelle – Small mound of dirt between the Town hall and Beeman School – Concerned that there is water backing up behind the mound from all the rain and it will start to undermine the blacktop. The mound is from Bolduc Electric digging a trench between the two buildings to hook up the generator. When the trench was filled in it was overfilled to allow for subsidence. Burt Allen said he will come up with his tractor to back drag it in the next couple of days.
• Wayne Marcelle – Dumpsters have been moved again, they are more accessible now, but if left under the eaves of the Town Hall the snow melt will smash the lids. Wayne Marcelle recommends moving the dumpsters   in front of the schools blue storage container. Dale Everest suggested getting the rubber tips to cover the pins that stick out.
• New Haven Soccer Club – Invoices from Chris Wilson for equipment

Paul Audy made a motion to sign invoices totaling $574.44, seconded by Burt Allen. All agreed.

MISC. CORRESPONDENCE

• State of Vermont, District # 5 (Agency of Transportation) – Reply from our request to have Traffic study done along Route 7 in front of Addison Home Health and Hospice.
• State of Vermont, Environmental Court – Appeal of John Madden RE: Deer View LLC.
• State of Vermont, Jon Kaplan, P.E. Safe Routes to School Coordinator – Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Program – Project was approved for $ 42,800; to design and construct 160’ of new sidewalk from North St. to the Beeman School entrance.
• Waitsfield Champlain Valley Telecom – Petition for use of the Public Right of Way on Plank Rd.
• David Heisler – Declined  Cobra Insurance
• State of Vermont, Office of the State Auditor – Grants Management Workshop, Wednesday December 5, 2007 @ Vermont Technical College in Randolph.
• First American Flood Data Services – Community Parcel Program for a digital parcel layer.
• Addison County Regional Planning Commission – Notice of Meeting on Wednesday October 10, 2007 @ 7:30pm.
• Vermont Local Roads Foreman’s Meeting – Wednesday October 17, 2007, Town of Shoreham @ 8:00 am.
• Envir-safe Corporation – Rattlin’ Bridge hazardous waste.

OLD BUSINESS:

• Ancient Roads

TREASURERS REPORT:

• Sign pay orders

Paul Audy made a motion to move into Executive Session at 8:25 pm, seconded by Burt Allen. All agreed.

Paul Audy made a motion to adjourn from Executive Session at 9:15 pm, seconded by Keith Hall. All agreed.

No action taken.

Adjourn: 9:20 pm