Welcome to Leicester, VT

A Great Place to Live

Meeting Minutes

Town of Leicester

Selectboard Meeting Minutes

 

Monday, September 19, 2011

 

*Unapproved*

 

** See subsequent minutes for any changes

 

Members Present:  Diane Benware, Tom Barker, Ken Young, Ron Fiske, Robert Oliver

 

Others Present:   Julie Delphia, Arlan Pidgeon, James Russo,  Sandra Trombley, Secretary

 

Call to Order:  Meeting called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Chair, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 

 

Review of Agenda:  Agenda reviewed.

 

Approval of Minutes:  September 6, 2011:

 

Ken Young was on the minutes as being present, but he was absent on September 6, 2011. 

 

Motion by Bob to approve minutes with the deletion of Ken’s name and date change to Tuesday, September 6, 2011 .  Second by Tom.   All in favor.  So approved.

 

Review/Authorize Payment of Bills:  Bills making their rounds for signatures. 

 

Weight Permits:  None

 

Reports from Town Officials, Committees:

 

Town Clerk/Treasurer Report:

 

Julie reported there was the payment that Board approved for Arlan and Scott.

 

Julie reported they received the money from the State and that she is doing an electronic transfer instead of a check for Lake Dunmore/Fern Lake Association for their milfoil payment.

 

Motion by Tom to give a gift of $250 to Kevin New for his help with the flood.  Second by Ron.  All in favor.  So approved.  Board initialized the handwritten statement.

 

Julie would like to purchase another recorder for the Town Office.  There is money in her budget.  OK with the Board.

 

Julie is letting the Board know that she will be making contact about the server and contacting NEMRIC to start the process of getting the new accounting modules that were in the budget now that there is money.

 

Delinquent taxes are about $43,000.

 

Julie has gone through the audit draft and has sent some questions and waiting for a response.

 

Julie reported that Diane signed the form to make Julie an authorized person for the web-site.  Julie wants everyone to look at the changes she made to the web-site and make suggestions.  There was discussion about the web-site’s current format.  There is a one-time fee of $600 to change the design to have actual Leicester pictures on there.  Julie will be taking pictures of town officials at the end of meeting to put on individual pages to personalize the pages.  Julie has some money in her budget if the Board wants to try a new design. 

 

Road Foreman Report:

 

Diane reported that there were some informational meetings in Vergennes and Rutland on how municipalities could apply for FEMA money.  After talking with Arlan, the Board felt other towns and communities had much more of a need than Leicester.  There were not a lot of pictures taken prior to the damage.

 

Arlan needs to keep track of storm damage costs to roads.

 

Ken said he received a call from VLCT about storm damage.  He has not called them back.  The most damage was on Jerusalem Road.  There is a spot on the Leicester/Whiting town line on Leicester side.  There is a drop off that needs to be filled.

 

Ken talked with Arlan about the gravel that was in a farmer’s crop land.  Arlan intends to get it out.

 

On the 19th of October Kate and Ron are going to a flood seminar in Montpelier.

 

Tom asked Arlan to call Kevin Bagley about brush cutting.

 

The culvert project on Jerusalem Road needs to be built up more on the east side and needs to be done by October 19th.  Tom will talk to Gary about the paving if he sees him.

 

There is a snag under the new Leicester Bridge.  Arlan will get it out.  Tom mentioned that he felt the bridge was poorly designed.

 

Bob mentioned the need for paving on Swinington Hill from the town line back.

Motion by Tom to approve bills of September 19, 2011.  Second by Ron.  All in favor.  So approved.

 

Lister Report:   

 

Jeff is back home.

 

Jim has been getting stories back about an appraiser that he is concerned about.  He shared the incident with the Board.  He has been trying to investigate.  Jim’s opinion is; that if the stories are true, he would recommend that he no longer be allowed to work for Leicester.  He will keep the Board apprised. 

 

Julie reported a couple incidents where the appraiser did not have identification with them and they were not let into the home and one incident where the appraiser wouldn’t go into the home  because the husband was not home.

 

Jim reported that all calls are being answered and appointments are being made.

 

The District Advisor is coming Tuesday to go over the sales study.

 

Changes are being updated on addresses and property transfers on a weekly basis.

 

Jim is putting together information on the appeal case, with Julie’s help.

 

Health Officer:

 

Jim has provided the Town Office with literature on cleaning and disinfecting your home and water, water test kits, gloves and masks.  He also has supplies at his home.

 

Jim reported on the dog bite incident.  He gave a report to Julie and to Brian to take action against both parties.

 

Jim put together 8 kits for Ray, our Emergency Coordinator.  Ray was going down to the Junction to homes he felt needed their water tested or might have health issues.  He will give Jim a report.

 

FEMA has been in the Junction and talked with residents and took pictures.

 

Cemetery Committee Report:  

 

Tom reported that Adam McCullough of McCullough Tree Service wants $400 to remove two trees.

Motion by Ken to authorize McCullough Tree Service to remove two trees in the cemetery for the sum of $400 with funds coming from the Cemetery Fund.  Second by Bob.  All in favor.  So approved.

 

 

 

Zoning Administrator:   

 

Kate provided a copy of a letter she will be sending to Mr. Smith regarding his boat house.  She left the copy of letter for the Board’s review. 

 

Kate provided her letter of resignation from the Planning Commission effective September 30, 2011.  Chair read Kate’s letter to Board.

 

Motion by Tom to accept Kate’s resignation with regrets; authorizing the Chair to write a letter of acknowledgment and thanking her for her service.  Second by Bob.  All in favor.  So approved. 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Signs & Roads:

 

Signs are needed on Wheeler Road, Shackett Road, Delorm Road and Ridge View Road.  Arlan has all the signs.  Discussion of how to install sign posts so they can’t be stolen.

 

Ron talked about the black top that came apart at the town line due to the water and where the water washed out over by the bridge.  The pavement dropped off about 18”.

 

Recommendation from Planning Commission:

 

Diane shared a letter directed to the Selectboard from Donna Swinington, Chair of the Planning Commission, in regard to a request from Linda Pitkin to join the Planning Commission.  The Planning Commission voted at their September 14th meeting to send the letter of request to the Selectboard for their consideration.

 

The Chair read Linda Pitkin’s letter of interest to serve on the Leicester Planning Commission.

 

There was discussion about the desire to have the position go to a Leicester resident. 

 

There were questions from the floor.

 

There was discussion about reports and attendance from board chairs to the Selectboard. 

 

The Chair indicated that the expectations of each board can be discussed at another time and expectations should come from the Selectboard.

 

Diane shared her thoughts about why they should accept Linda’s request and thoughts she wanted the Board to consider.

 

James Russo presented a letter of interest of serving on the Planning Commission.

 

Motion by Tom to decline Linda Pitkin’s request to serve on the Planning Commission.  Second by Ron. 

 

4 votes - Yes

1 vote   - No

 

Motion by Tom that James Russo’s letter of interest to serve on the Planning Commission go before the Planning Commission and come back to the Selectboard for their consideration.  Second by Ron.  All in favor.  So approved.

 

Due to Kate’s resignation, the Chair will place an ad in the newspaper with letters of interest to come to the Selectboard by October 1st.

 

Bob wants the Chair to ask the chairs of each Board to send minutes of each meeting to the Selectboard.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

Town Shed:

 

Ron reported that they would save money to fix what they have.  Roof is sound.  Repairs need to be done.  There is a lot more useable space/land than they thought.  Ron showed a recorded survey of the property.

 

Ron is still working on spec list.  He  has some more researching to do and prices to get.  He recommends we have a supervisor of the project.

 

Arlan will cut and chip brush and move junk or get rid of what we can.

 

Next meeting, Monday, October 3, 2011.

 

Motion by Tom and second by Bob to adjourn at 8:30 p.m.   All in favor.  So approved.

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sandra L. Trombley

Selectboard Secretary