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Town of New Haven Selectboard Meeting

7:00 pm Town Offices

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Present: Keith Hall, Burt Allen, Lowell Nottingham, Pat Paquette, Pam Marsh, Pam Kingman

Others: Karen Danyow, Barb Torian, Roger Boise, Susie Leonard, Jeff Everest, Beverly Landon, Wayne Marcelle, Earl Bessette, Warren Whitcomb, Jim Walsh, Suzy Roorda, Jackie Rose

AGENDA RESULTS:

Read and approve minutes from March 5^th and 12^th, 2008, make corrections if needed.

Read and approve minutes from Town Meeting.

Keith Hall made a motion to approve minutes, seconded by Pat Paquette. Approved by all.

NEW BUSINESS:

Visitors Business

• Karen Danyow:  Letter of support for Safe Routes to School – Mrs. Danyow has the support of the Beeman School Board and is asking Selectboard to ask for their continued support. This Safe Routes to School grant was originally awarded in 2006 and is a two year grant.  This letter of support is for the next two years and will allow kids to participate in incentive programs such as: safe walks to school and bike rallies that are held out at Field Days. The grant is for roughly $1,700 to be put towards these incentive programs for kids. Amy Diller is the education provider for this program; she is paid directly from the state to help run the program and be there for support.

       Mrs. Danyow said she didn’t want this grant to be confused with the Safe Routes to School Infrastructure grant for $42,600, which will help Beeman Elementary build a sidewalk in front of the school. The sidewalk will run from the south exit of the school to the parking lot by the Town Hall.

      There was a discussion on the percentage of children who ride the buses compared to the number of parents who drive their kids to school. Karen Danyow said they survey the kids twice a year and the findings were that roughly 11% of kids in New Haven are walking to school and 11 – 15 % being driven by their parents.

Pam Marsh made a motion to support the Safe Routes to School Incentive Program, seconded by Keith Hall.  3 yes / 2 no.

• Jackie Rose – Executive Director of the Addison County Humane Society – Has come to discuss the contract between the Town and the Shelter. Dog Warden, Wayne Marcelle requested the contract be withheld because Mr. Marcelle was dissatisfied with the way the Shelter and fees not being collected. The Town pays $500 per year for the contracted services of the Addison Co. Humane Society. Wayne Marcelle has had a few conversations with Mrs. Rose since she joined the Shelter, and Mr. Marcelle feels confident the Shelter will be run more efficiently. Paul Audy had originally signed the contract on February 5, 2008. Jackie Rose signed it tonight, March 18, 2008. Pam Kingman will forward a copy to Jackie Rose along with the contract fee of $500.
• Wayne Marcelle – Police Report from February 25, 2008 about Nick Liberio’s dog that attacked a New Haven resident. Mr. Marcelle would like permission to mail a letter to Mr. Liberio in regards to the attack.  Keith Hall made a motion to have Wayne Marcelle send Nick Liberio a letter regarding his dogs, seconded by Pam Marsh. All in favor.
• Roads Update – Class 2 Roadway Program Grant Applications: Applications are due soon for any of the following Class 2 Roads: Hallock, Dog Team, Town Hill, North, River and Munger. Keith Hall made a motion to apply for grants from the state, seconded by Lowell Nottingham. All in favor. (For more information see attached roads update.) 
• Suzy Roorda – Town Hall Applications: 1) Wedding Shower on April 13, 2008, held in the gym from 1 – 5 pm. $50 fee, Contact is Sheila Marcelle. 2) Daisies / Brownies on the 1^st & 3^rd Sundays of each month throughout the year from 11 am – 1 pm held in the cafeteria.  Fee waived, contact is Michelle Chester. 3) Scrapbooking on Mondays throughout the year from 6:30 – 9 pm, held in the cafeteria. Fee waived, contact is Jodi Thompson. 4) Democratic Caucus on March 22, 2008, held in the cafeteria from 9 – 10 am. Fee waived, contact is Kathleen Ready.                             

Pam Marsh made a motion to approve all of the Town Hall Applications, seconded by Keith Hall. All in favor.                                                          Suzy Roorda asked the Selectboard if they wanted to rent out the Town  tables and chairs, as she gets many inquiries. Keith Hall made a motion not to rent out any tables and chairs for any purpose other than Town – function usage, seconded by Burt Allen. All in favor.

• Susie Leonard RE: Sidewalk Project – Handed out copies of the timeline for the project and needs to know whether to proceed or not based on the fact that the motion was tabled at Town Meeting. If moving forward she needs to be in contact with the Town’s attorney to formalize easements; this will be billed to the project and not the Town. Discussion about the article being tabled at Town Meeting and how the article had an error in the wording. Also discussed that many people in town don’t like the sidewalk project, nor do they like having voted on it in the road budget; they feel it should have been a separate item. Given the timeline, the project had been warned and there were many meetings held prior to voting on it. The project has always had the support of the Selectboard. Susie Leonard contacted the Secretary of States office by emailing a copy of the petition and got a response from Kathy Dewolf who is the Director of Elections who advised her that it never should have been put on the warning. More discussion on whether it needs to wait for the next Town Meeting in March of 2009 or a Special Town Meeting or move forward with project now. Lowell Nottingham suggested putting out a fact sheet to get a census as to what everyone in town wants to do about the Sidewalk Project, instead of just a few people. Pam Marsh made a motion to move forward with the Sidewalk Project, seconded by Lowell Nottingham.  3 yes / 2 no

 Discussion about if the Selectboard has to hold a Special Town meeting, and the Sidewalk Project gets voted down, what then? Will the Town allow the project to be voted on by Australian Ballot? Some in the audience think it is cut and dry, because the Selectboard has to have Town approval for spending over $5,000.

 Beverly Landon handed out a fact sheet outlining a timeline for when voters approved the following, “any expenditure exceeding $5000 requires the approval of the voters by Australian Ballot.”  (See attached) Mrs. Landon also handed out a timeline for expenditure’s from the Computer Fund, dating from the 1997 Town Meeting – 1999 Town Meeting. She is concerned that there is over spending from this fund and would like to know why the Auditors have not caught it. She has sent them letters, but feels they were ignored. Again this issue goes back to the Selectboard having no authority to spend over $5000. Pam Marsh said she will look into the legality of the $5000 limit; she will contact the Town Attorney or VLCT to get more information. Keith Hall added that the Selectboard does have the authority to spend money that is in the Reserve Fund without voter approval. (See attached)                    

 Bev Landon also questioned why after the budget was set in January, 2 out of the 3 Selectmen agreed to pay a Town employee a large sum of money? Mrs. Landon said this matter should be reconsidered by the new Selectboard.

• Keith Hall – Has drawn up a Public Notice for the Request for King House bid: Mr. Hall read the bid out loud to the audience. There was discussion about the stipulations like staying in Town, keeping the house intact and the base price for the house. Currently there are a few people in Town who are interested in buying and moving the King House. Those folks will be mailed a copy of the bid request Pam Kingman will put it in the newspaper. Sealed bids will be accepted until 3:00pm on April 15, 2008; at 7:15pm the Selectboard will open all the bids at their regular Selectboard Meeting.  Keith Hall made a motion to put bid out on terms agreed upon, seconded by Pam Marsh. All in favor.
• Appointments:  Keith Hall made a motion to appoint the following to the Park Committee: Iva Menard – 5 year term and Tory Palmer – 4 year term. Seconded by Lowell Nottingham. All in favor.
• Appointments: Keith Hall made a motion to reappoint the following to the Planning Commission: Susie Leonard - 3 year term and Jim Walsh - 3 year term; and to appoint the following to the Planning Commssion: Susannah McCandless, James Foley, Jr. and Francie Caccavo. (Terms to be determined) seconded by Lowell Nottingham. All in favor.
• Ancient Roads – The Town has until July 2009 to complete this project. Unfortunately the grant money is no longer available. Surveyor, Donald Johnston said he is willing to help out if needed. Town Lister, Michelle Litch has shown interest in working on the Ancient Roads project. Bev Landon said there is an old folder in the Town vault with some of the class 4 road information in it.
• Liquor Licenses: Keith Hall made a motion to approve and sign the following Liquor Licenses: R L Vallee, Village Green Market, Coco Mart and Rolands Place; seconded by Burt Allen. All in favor.
• Contract for Town Properties Lawn and Grounds Maintenance – This is a 3 year contract with Allen Swain. Pat Paquette made a motion to sign the contract, seconded by Burt Allen. All in favor.
• Treasurer, Barb Torian – Has pay orders and bills for the Selectboard. Pam Marsh made a motion to sign pay orders and bills, seconded by Lowell Nottigham. All in favor.
• Barb Torian – request for funds to purchase a new printer for the sole purpose of printing checks. The one she uses now is leaving dark streaks on the checks, she is afraid the checks will soon be illegible. She priced a printer at Best Buy for $109. Lowell Nottingham made a motion to have Barb Torian purchase a printer, spending no more than $150 from the Computer Fund, seconded by Pam Marsh. All in favor.
• Barb Torian – Just wanted to let the Selectboard know that when it comes time to borrow money, it may be wise to borrow from ourselves. There is over $600,000 in various funds, and we usually borrow in anticipation of taxes.
• Burt Allen – Asked how many hours the Sheriffs put in for a month. Barb Torian said there is no contract and the Selectboard hired them to monitor our roads. Discussion about where they patrol and that they should be patrolling where there are pedestrians.  Pam Marsh said she knows most of them and she would be happy to talk with them about where they are patrolling.
• NIMS – Executive order for an Incident Management System – This needs to be in place in order for the Town to receive State and Federal Funds in the event of a disaster. Keith Hall made a motion to sign the Executive order for NIMS, seconded by Pat Paquette. All in favor.
• Addison County Home Health & Hospice – Asking to be listed as a non profit organization that would make them exempt from paying taxes. Keith Hall said he has spoken with the executive director who told Mr. Hall that Home Health would still be willing to pay a fee equivalent to taxes.  Burt Allen suggested getting something in writing regarding paying the equivalent. Pam Marsh made a motion to agree to exempt Addison County Home Health & Hospice per (32 V.S.A. Sect. 3802 ((4)) ), seconded by Pat Paquette. All in favor.
• Clover State Window & Siding Co., Inc. & Perkins Smith with Brownell – Estimates for gym windows: Discussion about which company to go with, it was decided to have each company come to the next Selectboard meeting to present their products. Pam Kingman will call Clover State and Brownell’s to invite them to the April 1, 2008 Selectboard meeting.
• Sign off on Grand List – Every year the Selectboard signs off on the Grand List certifying that there are no law suits pending. Keith Hall made a motion to sign off on the Grand List, seconded by Burt Allen. All in favor.
• Publlic Hearing for Dupoise Petition – Planning Commission is holding their hearing on April 3, 2008. The Selectoard will need to hold a Public Hearing within the first week of May.

MISC. CORRESPONDENCE:

• John Madden – Ongoing Correspondence
• Act 250 Application from: Deer View LLC ( Mark Smith)
• Act 250 Application from: Pike Industries
• VLCT News – Australian Ballot budget votes
• State of Vermont Utilities & Permits Unit – Peter & Dolores Norris, Sr.
• Tetra Tech – 3^rd party inspection summary report for – VELCO
• Vermont Old Cemetery Association
• Addison County Regional Planning Commission – Meeting March 12, 2008

REGULAR BUSINESS:

• Sign Overweight Permits

OLD BUSINESS:

Adjourn:

Respectfully Submitted:

Pam Kingman

Approved:

__________________    ___________________  _____________________

Keith Hall, Chair               Burt Allen                        Pam Marsh

__________________     ___________________

Pat Paquette                     Lowell Nottingham