Meeting Minutes
Town of Leicester
Selectboard Meeting Minutes
Monday, July 2, 2012
*Unapproved*
** See subsequent minutes for any changes
Members Present: Diane Benware, Ken Young, Tom Barker, Ron Fiske, Brad Lawes
Others Present: Arlan Pidgeon, Julie Delphia, Cecile Todd, Scott Pidgeon, Steve Morrison, Chris LaBerge, Sandra Trombley, Secretary
Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Review of Agenda: Agenda reviewed.
Review/Authorization to pay bills:
Bills making their rounds for signatures.
VLCT: Drug Testing Information:
Chris LaBerge of VLCT, Senior Loss Control Consultant came to help the Town to be in compliance. Introductions were made by all.
Chris explained that the Town has to have a Drug & Alcohol Testing Policy and a Disciplinary Policy if someone fails a drug & alcohol test. There are federal minimums. The sample Chris gave is the federal minimum requirements. You can be more strict, if you like, but you can’t be any less strict.
All three of the Town’s drivers have been entered in the pool of 1303 municipal drivers. 50% of all municipal employees need to be tested in a year. It’s random and luck of the draw.
There is a federal requirement that a supervisor has Reasonable Suspicion Training. Chris is going to try to get the training set up in the near future and make sure everyone knows. The Road Commissioner and Road Foreman are the two Chris would recommend for the training.
A Designated Employer Representative (DER) is the person that gets the phone call letting them know who is on the list to be tested and when. The DER must keep confidential files and test results; they need to be kept in a locked secure place. The DER and the employee are the only ones who can see the files; unless there are legal proceedings. Information will need to go onto a new employer proving they have been part of a consortium.
Annually, drivers need to sign to have DMV checks every 12 months. These reports need to go to the Selectboard. The Selectboard needs to make a judgment/decision and sign off to go in their qualification file. Look to see if they had 3 or more accidents, excessive speed (20 mph over limit), more serious issues. Records checks are free to municipalities.
If a driver is convicted of a moving violation in another state, in any vehicle, they have to notify their employer and DMV Vermont in writing.
Chris said that he will be offering a class in the very near future in Middlebury for CDL drivers. He will let everyone know. A review of things the average driver doesn’t know.
Chris opened it up for questions from the Board and drivers about drug and alcohol testing.
Diane asked if Vermont mandated these rules and regulations; as well. Chris explained that the State has no choice, it has been mandatory to adopt the CDL regulations for drivers.
Diane asked if VLCT makes exemptions for very small communities/municipalities that only have 3 drivers. Chris stated, the simple answer is, “no”. VLCT pays for the consortium, because you have to be in one. They make sure that the people doing the drug and alcohol testing are doing what they are supposed to be doing. VLCT pays for it. That’s all they do for the municipalities. Its law and it has to be done. When someone signs on the CDL license, they are signing that they understand they will partake in drug & alcohol screenings as prescribed by the Federal Highway Safety Administration.
There is an 8 hour window of investigation if there is an accident. The driver needs to be drug tested.
Pre-employment job application & screening. There are certain questions that you are required to ask a CDL driver that you wouldn’t ask someone else who might be a grounds keeper. Any job offer is contingent on passing a drug test. Until you have the results, you cannot put them in a truck.
There is a pre-employment screening form that should be filled out by previous employer. They sometimes don’t get them right back to you. It is a lot easier to do the pre-employment screening.
Julie gets lead time notice, but the driver, under VT DOT, can have no more than an hour notice. It’s done quarterly and they try to work with the DER.
The driver should only be on “one” consortium list. Take Steve off Leicester’s consortium list, and Julie will figure out which consortium Steve is in. She will call Matthews Trucking.
Julie will have draft policies for review at the July 16th Selectboard meeting. Chris is available to review policies.
Approval of June 14, June 18 and June 27, 2012 Minutes:
Motion by Tom to accept the minutes of June 14, June 18 and June 27, 2012 as written. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved.
Motion by Tom to authorize Treasurer to pay bills as written. Second by Brad. All in favor. So approved.
Reports from Town Officials, Committees:
Town Clerk/Treasurer:
Town received $25,000 refund from Otter Valley and Leicester Central School for overpayments due to Act 68 school tax from last year. $15,000 for Otter Valley and $10,000 for Leicester Central.
Julie reported that she cannot buy an air conditioner for the $200 previously approved.
Motion by Tom to authorize Treasurer to purchase an air conditioner up to $350. Second by Ken. All in favor. So approved.
Tom will help her install it.
Town Foreman:
Arlan has been drawing fill and leveled out and would like three more loads from quarry to fill in at the Town Shed and bring it up to grade. Ken would like to draw in enough fill to finish the back side of the Town Shed.
Motion by Tom to put the $2750 for grader in the Equipment Fund. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved.
Motion by Ken to authorize Arlan to get whatever #2 fill needed to bring it up to grade out behind the Town Shed. Funding to come from the Land/Building Acquisition Fund.
Authorize the Treasurer to place remaining funds in a higher interest bearing accessible account. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved.
Ken thinks we should replace siding on Town Shed. It hasn’t been upgraded in 30 years.
Tom stated that when they all met they decided to look under the tin siding to explore the beams and check roof. Ron will look at concrete. The building needs to be repaired and slope land away from the building. Get the box trailer out of there. Unscrew and take off or lift up tin and get dimensions of usable property.
Ron & Ken will work as a committee and do a study and report back to full board. Brad will help after a couple weeks.
Arlan checked on price of cement blocks. They are $55 each. They will put us on a waiting list.
Ron asked if Arlan could put something on the tracks where the railroad cut out the pavement.
Ken will call the railroad to see why they cut pavement out.
Listers:
Cecile presented the proposal from NEMRIC for $4,500 a year. Contract starts in July at $375 per month. She thinks it’s an excellent idea. The listers would still be doing the majority of the work. NEMRIC would be doing new properties, additions, lister appeals, current use. They would help with CLA, CLD, property appeals and BCA. They would be a great resource to call.
Diane would like everyone to have a copy to review for next meeting, July 16th.
Julie will ask Ed for the office key; pending decision about contract.
OLD BUSINESS:
Town Plan Meeting next Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 6:00 P.M., Town Office. Invited public to come and look at Town Plan. It was warned in the paper.
Ken reported that there is an anonymous lady who wants to buy picnic tables and pay for all of it. She wanted her and her husband’s name on the picnic tables. Earlier this spring Anne had already agreed to do the picnic tables. Ken reported that two picnic tables are being made as we speak. So, maybe this person would pay to have cement pads with anchor bolts put in. We should go out and make a decision.
Bob got a letter about the anti graffiti paint. The Board authorized Julie to write a letter stating that they have no written authorization from this Town for any purchases; we requested a return authorization number and were denied, therefore, we do not intend to pay this invoice.
Motion by Tom to purchase 8 new chairs for a maximum of $175 each to come from Building Repair Town Office. Second by Ken. All in favor. So approved.
Motion by Brad to adjourn at 8:40 P.M. Second by Ken. All in favor. So approved.
Next regular meeting, July 16, 2012.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandra L. Trombley, Secretary