Minutes - 9-11-2023
Town of LeicesterSelectboard Meeting MinutesMonday, September 11, 2023*Unapproved*** See subsequent minutes for any changes Members Present: Diane Benware, Diane Randall, Brad Lawes, Tom Barker, John Rouse Others Present: Julie Delphia, Arlan Pidgeon, Sandra Trombley Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair. Pledge of Allegiance: Review of Agenda: Added Cargill Contract, MERP Grant Approval of August 21, 2023, Minutes: Motion by Tom and second by Diane R. to approve minutes of August 21, 2023, as written. All in favor. So, approved. Review/Authorization to Pay Bills: Motion by Tom and second by Brad authorizing Julie to pay the bills. All in favor. So, approved. Reports from Town Officials, Committees: Road Forman: Arlan reported they got some of the paving done and hopefully will get it finished tomorrow. Cargill Informal Quote Letter stating $86.50 per ton for 600 ton. Board thought it was the same as last year. Diane signed the salt informal quote letter on behalf of the Board. Town Clerk/Treasurer: Julie reminded the Board that the fire contract ends at the end of this year. John never heard back from his inquiry. He will contact again. VLCT did go to the Fern Lake Access. They thought that even with a port-a-let there would be minimal risk at best. Advised to just keep it clean if they put one in. It would not increase our insurance if they were to decide to put one in there. Julie reported that the auditors were here today. In talking about restricted accounts, their suggestion was that the town should consider consolidating a couple accounts and ending a couple accounts. They thought the culvert and ditching funds should go into the highway funds and the Solid Waste Fund and the Lister Education Fund should go into the General Fund. The Board thought it was a good idea and Julie can prepare paperwork for the next meeting. Julie thinks the heat pumps need cleaning; not heating and cooling properly. Brad will speak to David Crane about this. Julie got a call from the school. There is a student to pick up on Fern Lake Road, and because of the age of the student, they don’t want them to cross the road. For the bus to turn around, they would like to use the Fern Lake Access. They tried to use the triangle, but got hung up, so they can’t. There was discussion about the dangers of turning around in that area and they would need assurance that it would be plowed early, all the time, with the pickup. Diane R. will research this because she thinks this might be a very temporary situation and would not need to be done at all in winter. She will report back. OLD BUSINESS: Revisit Enforcement of Junk Ordinance: Under Executive Session discussion. MERP Grant: The Board provided Julie with their list of suggestions. Julie read the list and will write the required paragraph for the grant. Julie thought they might want to consider a generator before winter and use some ARPA funds and not wait for the MERP grant. Weight Permit: None CORRESPONDENCE: Diane reviewed the correspondence file. NEW BUSINESS: Diane mentioned that Donna Elwicki offered to have the old stove removed at the Senior Center and replace it with a new stove. Board was ok with this. Diane will call Donna. Discussion about preparing for winter so critters don’t come in. Julie mentioned that the wall AC unit in the clerk’s office is no longer needed now that they have the heat pumps. The AC unit can be moved to the kitchen of the Senior Center to be used next year. John will call about the speed sign that does not work and battery does not recharge. Executive Session: Motion by Tom and second by Diane to go into Executive Session at 7:15 p.m. for possible legal matter. Motion by Tom and second by Diane to come out of Executive Session at 7:34. Motion by John and second by Diane R. to authorize Julie to contact town counsel. All in favor. So, approved. Motion by Tom to adjourn at 7:38 p.m. Next meeting Monday, September 18, 2023 Respectfully submitted, Sandra L. Trombley, Secretary