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Meeting Minutes

JUNE 18, 2007

LEICESTER SELECTBOARD    

UNAPPROVED - SEE SUBSEQUENT MEETING MINUTES FOR CHANGES

 

 

PRESENT: J. McDonough, R. Oliver, T. Barker, D. Benware

Others:  Donna Pidgeon, Arlan Pidgeon, Mary Hughes, John Hughes, Bonnie

Johnson, Charles Johnson

 

Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. by the Chair.

Flag salute recited and agenda reviewed.

 

Mr. Hughes asked those present if anyone heard Tom Barker swear at Mrs. Wolf at the last meeting.  No one heard Tom swear.

 

The secretary from Kelly Services is no longer available Monday evenings and Michelle from Kelly Services was unable to find someone for this evening.

 

ACTION:  Tom made the motion, John the second, to post the position of secretary in the local papers and request that letters of interest be sent to the Town Office.

Motion passed unanimously.  A box ad will be placed with the 2 Brandon papers and the Independent, to run from now until July 5. Letters of interest are to be sent to the Town Office, care of the Selectboard, by June 9, 2007.  The ad states that we are looking for someone to take and prepare minutes for at least 2 evening meetings per month, at a starting salary of $10.00 per hour.  A job description will need to be developed for future reference.

 

REPORTS FROM TOWN OFFICIALS/COMMITTEES

John Hughes reported that 10 folks have signed up for grievance hearings.  The meeting with Wright Appraisers is set for 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday at the Meeting House.

 

Arlan reported that there isn't much chloride left.  He will try to hammer out the culvert by Tom Barker's.  On Shackett Road, north of the Hughes' residence, by Fred Hansen's

there is ditching to be done and possibly changing culverts.

 

Donna reported that the $65,000 USDA grant funds have been received and are in the checkbook.  She requests authorization to move the money to the Money Market Fund at the Middlebury National Bank. 

 

ACTION:  Bob made the motion, John the second, to authorize Donna to move the $65,000 grant funds to the Money Market fund at Middlebury, National Bank.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

REVIEW OF THE BILLS

 

A bill was originally received from Addison County Solid Waste for the handling of 6 tires, but it was voided and deemed part of Green Up. 

ACTION:  Tom made the motion, John the second, to pay the bill presented by Winmill Equipment for grader repair, as the figures were deemed reasonable.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

A donation of $38.00 worth of flowers from Heartland Nursery, for the triangle at Fernville, was acknowledged by Donna Pidgeon, on behalf of the town.

 

ACTION: John made the motion, Bob the second, to offer Donna Simpson reimbursement for gas in the fall, for mowing of the triangles in Fernville,  Dave Todd did weed-whack the western triangle.

 

ACTION:  Tom made the motion, John the second, to approve the $50.00 for cleaning the Town Office, as presented by Addison County Cleaning Service.

Motion passed unanimously.

 

APPROVAL OF JUNE 4, 2007 SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

 

John made the motion to approve the minutes of June 4, Tom made the second. 

Discussion:  Bonnie asked about the start time of Selectboard meetings.

Although the back cover of the Town Report is in error, the Selectboard meetings have been starting at 7:00 p.m. for over three years.  Bonnie noted that brush covers up the speed limit sign by D. Kimball's and asked that it be removed.  She offered a correction to the minutes, agreeing that she had declined to head up a steering committee for an honor roll for post-WWII veterans, saying that she did say she would get information.  The Chair indicated that the minutes are not to be a word by word transcription of the meetings and that future attempts at minutes will not credit each person with what they said.  Chair indicated she was making an exception in this case.  Further discussion regarding the request of ballots by phone and in writing.  Donna reported and asked that it be included in the minutes that she had gotten a phone message but no email message from Bonnie regarding absentee ballots.  The town's email has changed in the last year and the email address needs clarification. 

ACTION:  Minutes were unanimously approved with the above amendments.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

The speed limit sign and hand-written children playing sign has been removed from Hooker Road, near Naidni. It is unclear what the speed limit is in that area.

ACTION:  John made the motion, Tom the second, to authorize Arlan to replace the speed limit sign, after checking the ordinance for the correct mileage.

Motion passed unanimously.

 

ACRPC:  Kathleen Ramsay has asked that the Selectboard consider her request to be named the alternate and Charles Makovec the delegate to the ACRPC. 

ACTION:  John made the motion, Bob the second, to grant Kathleen's request. 

Motion passed unanimously.  Chair to send a copy of the meeting minutes to ACRPC to confirm this appointment.

 

Tom Roberts wrote to the town indicating that we were not selected to receive Highway Structures Funds this year.

 

GRANTS:

The late Bob Niles had sent us a contract for him to do the road inventory, as spelled out in the Category A grant the town received.  Due to the untimely death of Mr. Niles, the Chair has contacted Robert Turner, of Bristol, who has agreed to conduct the road inventory and training for the same amount that Mr. Niles had stipulated.

ACTION:  Tom made the motion, John the second, to approve that R. J. Turner conduct the road inventory, at a cost not to exceed $2,660.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

The Selectboard was apprised of the fact that the Kelly property on Hooker Road has a drainpipe that empties into the road and that a staircase is being constructed that leads from the upper part of the property to the road.  The Zoning Administrator has indicated that she is writing them a letter, as they have no permit to do the aforementioned work.

 

 

The Chair has called Steve Jerome of VT Local Roads and Linda Boudette of Better Back Roads about the Hooker Road drainage problem and has asked Steve Jerome to also look at Cram, Hooker and Ferson Roads that have sustained damage from over-weight trucks. Steve is being asked to check out the roads and make recommendations.  In a phone conversation with him, the Chair was told that Bob's idea of designating a "truck route" in the spring is a good idea.  Chair will notify members of possible dates and confirm with all parties involved.

 

Category B Grant for bank stabilization of Old Jerusalem Road:  The early spring meeting with Rick Kehne of ACRPC, and Frederick Nicholson and Tom Roberts of the state was postponed due to high water.  The Chair is trying to set up another meeting in the next few weeks with them and the Road Commissioners to determine how to proceed.  Bob Oliver reported that the telephone company will move poles as needed and that the Vermont Land Trust and Catlin Fox are in agreement that the land bordering the road can be used to move the road to the east. 

ACTION:  Bob made the motion and John the second to authorize the Chair to arrange for this meeting and to get advice on how to proceed with dealing with creekbank failure.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

Road signs, Road Posting: 

ACTION:  John made the motion to defer action on signs and posting of roads, Bob made the second, until after our meeting with Steve Jerome.

Motion passed unanimously.

 

Charlie asked about the secretary and was informed that earlier in the meeting the motion was made to post the position in the local papers.  There was question about whether Green Up bags on Cram Road had been picked up.  There are 5-6 tires on Lower Bullock Road. 

ACTION:  John made the motion, Tom the second, that if Bob can locate and move the tires to the edge of the road, to have Richard Humiston pick them up.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

LIMITED PUBLIC OPINION:

Bonnie asked that tree branches, that obstruct the view of oncoming traffic on the west side of Swinington Hill, be cut back.  She further asked that we seek the Sheriff's Dept to patrol Leicester Whiting Road at "quitting time", to cut down on speeders.  The Chair

responded that we are not able to dictate to the department exactly when we want coverage; that is at the discretion and availability of the sheriffs.  Last year a sheriff placed near the town shed at morning rush hour was criticized for getting people as they went to work.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m., on a motion made by Tom, second by Bob. 

Next meeting July 2, 2007.

 

Respectfully submitted:

Diane Benware