Minutes - 09-16-2024
Town of LeicesterSelectboard Meeting MinutesMonday, September 16, 2024*Unapproved*** See subsequent minutes for any changes Members Present: Diane Benware, Brad Lawes, Tom Barker, John Rouse Members Absent: Diane Randall Others Present: Julie Delphia, Arlan Pidgeon, Robbie Devoid, Sandra Trombley Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Vice Chair. Pledge of Allegiance: Review of Agenda: Approval of September 9, 2024, minutes: Motion by Tom and second by John to approve minutes of September 9, 2024, as written. All in favor. So, approved. Review/Authorization to Pay Bills: Motion by Tom and second by John authorizing Julie to pay the bills. So, approved. Reports from Town Officials, Committees: Road Foreman: Arlan reported he hauled most of the sand and put the culvert in on the Cram Road. Scott has cut brush but doesn’t know how much more the Board wants him to do. Tom mentioned a tree to Arlan that had tipped over. Tom suggested Arlan take a look at it. Town Clerk/Treasurer: Julie reported she had a complaint about the farm trucks on Ferson Road. Some of the issues have been trucks driving on wrong side of road when they were pulling out of their driveway, a person was running and had to go into the ditch or get run over and drivers have been flipping them off. They wondered if something could be done. They asked if it was possible to change the speed limit on the road. Arlan thought the trucking should be close to being done. Brad and Tom agreed. Brad and Diane didn’t feel changing the speed limit would make a difference. Diane stated that they can’t regulate farm vehicles. Tom reported there is no caution on the corner now. There have been issues of jake breaks and stopping and starting there at 3:00 a.m. in the morning. It could be any of the farmers owning land in Leicester. Not sure who it is. Julie will respond to the complainant and indicate that the traffic is seasonal for 2-3 weeks maximum and because it is agricultural, changing the speed limit would not make a difference. Julie informed the Board for just an FYI that Colchester is building a fabric covered dome with concrete waste block walls for under $200,000 estimating 600–800-ton storage capacity. Julie got an email from Doug Perkins from OCW confirming that their Board at their September 11th meeting approved the Chair’s decision to nullify both requirements of quarterly billing and the 1st day of each quarter and return to the old way. Each town will authorize their payment schedule. Julie has already paid for this year. Tom had a question on some bills. Julie explained. Ferson/Delorm Road Intersection: Tom feels the traffic goes faster around the corner now since it has been cleared. There was more discussion about the intersection and possible signage. Tom agreed it is safer since the work, but it is dusty, and cars are going faster. Board is not changing anything at this time. Motion by Tom and second by Brad to table the matter on Ferson/Delorm Road. 3 Yes and 1 No Animal Control Officer: Rob reported it has been a busy couple weeks with dogs. Rob has been trying to catch the owner who owns the pit mix and the other half breed near Redgate. The dogs have been very problematic on countless occasions. Rob made visits to the house, and he either won’t answer the door or is not there. He’s made valid attempts to keep the animals under control. He has a large fence around the property, but the dogs are still getting out. They have gotten out into the traffic several times. Rob sent Julie an email with pictures of the dogs. They present to be very aggressive. He is in compliance with the town. They are licensed and vaccinated. Saturday Rob got a call that there was a dog at the Country Village Campground. It was a dog from an out-of-town person at the camp site and was returned to its owner. Rob met with the owners of the three dogs involved in the traffic accident, Betsy and Chris. They were very confrontational. He met with the officer involved. He explained why he was there. The dogs are not licensed and they could not provide proof of vaccination. Betsy would not let Rob see the dogs. He explained that they need to immediately get the dogs licensed and vaccinated and he would give them a week to do so. If they haven’t made an effort to get that done, he will be forced to issue tickets. Rob left and went across the street to Lackard’s because the police report said there was also a problem with their dog. His dog was under control and in compliance. Lackard expressed that the neighbor’s dogs come over to his property frequently and that they are a problem. Rob stated he talked with another neighbor about two houses down and she confirmed that the dogs are frequently out and running loose in traffic. The officer told Rob he wasn’t completely sure the dogs were the total reason for the accident because there were other factors. Julie reported that Chris came in the office today and stated that he got the dogs vaccinated. He told Julie he had the rabies record on his phone, but he couldn’t bring the documents up and unable to email them to her. The dogs have been unregistered for years. He said he would go outside and email them to her and come back. He never came back to register them. Hopefully, he will come back tomorrow. Rob stated he made it very clear that if he comes back and it hasn’t been done, he will issue tickets. Rob always gives the due process and clear with the expectations. Julie puts the notice in the town report and sends out post cards for delinquent dogs that she knows about. Weight Permits: None CORRESPONDENCE:
- Red Cross in Vermont
- 2024 Walk Safe & Happy Childhood
- Letter from VT 2025 Anniversary 250th years Founding of State
- Town Fair October 2nd in Killington
- Effective October 1st Regional Planning will no longer be supporting towns with development of LEMP’s
