Meeting Minutes
Town of LeicesterSelectboard Meeting Minutes Monday, March 19, 2012 *Unapproved* ** See subsequent minutes for any changes Members Present: Diane Benware, Tom Barker, Ron Fiske, Ken Young, Brad Lawes Others Present: Julie Delphia, Arlan Pidgeon, 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. Minutes of March 7, 2012: Motion by Tom to approve minutes of March 7, 2012 as written. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved. Review/Authorize Payment of Bills: Bills making their rounds for signatures. Reports from Town Officials, Committees: Town Clerk/Treasurer: Julie explained the colored sheets to be signed. The green sheet in the bills is to transfer the money from the reappraisal fund to cover the expenses incured in 2012, as well as, $13,500 from the highway fund to cover highway expenses. Beth will be coming to discuss the delinquent taxes. Julie asked if anyone wanted to go to the Selectboard Trainings. Anyone can go. There is one in Montpelier and one in Fairlee. They are on Saturdays. Julie is hoping that over the summer when things are a little quieter, that they can get back to looking at policies. Town Officers Education Conference on April 18th in Rutland. It might be good for Zoning Board and Planning Commission members. Julie will let them know. Julie reported that dogs are going really slow. Dogs are due on April 1st and she has only registered about 26 out of 250 dogs. No one has responded to our ad for Animal Control Officer. After April 1st, Julie will send a notice out to all unregistered dog owners. Hopefully she will get some registrations at the Rabies Clinic Day. The toilet price quote is $294 from Royden; plus $50 to install. Motion by Ken to authorize Julie to hire Royden to install the new toilet at a price not to exceed $350. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved. Julie asked about getting an exhaust fan in the bathroom. She will get a quote on a fan and report back. Cemetery: Gus Letourneau came and reported that he did all the spring clean up in the Cemetery. Gus provided a paper with an estimate of doing some other work that needs to be done. There is a maple tree that is split in half that needs to come down, all the perimeter is growing in 4’ with brush that need to be cut, the culvert has washed out and needs shovel work and reset the marble pieces at the entrance and pot holes that need some gravel in the entrance. He estimated 20 hours for all the work at $25 hour. It’s nothing that needs to be done right now, but it does need to be done. It’s easier to weed whack when the brush is removed. The maple tree is a liability. He worked Friday and finished today with the spring clean up. The raspberry bushes and sumac have grown up. Cemetery Committee will be meeting soon. Tom will get back to Gus. His quote for the work has been running for a couple years. Gas prices are running out of control. He’s not looking for a lot, but if prices continue to rise, he might have to raise his price. If it stays where it is, he’s ok. The Board understood his situation and didn’t see a problem with it. Brad explained about chemical basal treatment for brush and trees with a motorized backpack. It won’t kill grass, just woody vegetation. Brad will go down with the Cemetery Committee to view the problem. Discussion with Delinquent Tax Collector: Beth explained that she is planning a tax sale in July or August and is prepared to send about 12 notices. She thinks all will pay; except one. One is in bankruptcy, and sends very small payments. Beth reported that most that are past due a few years; don’t have lien holders. We had a tax sale last year and one sale consisted of a home. It went well. It’s not what she prefers to do, but the owner has since redeemed which is wonderful. Beth had a heated conversation with another owner, but she explained that the Town needed the taxes. It will proceed to tax sale. He threatened to contact each member of the Board. The tax sale needs to proceed even though payments are now coming in. She has been in contact with the bank on some properties. Diane confirmed that Beth has the Board’s support. Beth will contact the town lawyer to see if they can accept less than what’s owed for taxes at the tax sale just to get them off the books. Road Foreman: Arlan reported that they have been drawing gravel and have been grading. Tom will talk with Scott at the CV Project to see if they will have more free loads of gravel for the Town Shed. Arlan reported that Markowski’s gave the Town of Leicester 10 tandem loads of gravel last week. Arlan has been hauling it as he needed it. Diane mentioned that lower Bullock Road needs some work. Arlan agreed that it is rough and needs some gravel and grading. Arlan will check on prices. Arlan put up Jenna Lane sign. Julie mentioned that she wants to take the Board back in time about the whole 911 and Comcast. We changed the name on the road to Jenna Lane. We gave them a couple weeks notice before it happened. Now here we are, a couple weeks after, and the 911 system is not updated. Julie had a conversation with Vermont 911. They were updating their software system by the end of last week. Comcast knew nothing about it. Vermont 911 gave Julie the contact at Comcast that they have been working with. Julie emailed the Comcast contact informing him that Jenna Lane customers were still under Stove Pipe. He was going to go through every name on Stove Pipe and correct them to Jenna Lane. Julie doesn’t know how we make people aware that when they switch to Comcast to get the better bundle deal, they are exposing themselves to some risk in the 911 Emergency sectors. If you have a phone with a line to it; your expectations are different than if you have a cell phone. Julie asked for a list of what Vermont 911 can give of everyone with Comcast in Leicester and Brandon. There is an opportunity for error because we share a zip code. Lister: None Health Officer: None Zoning Administrator: None Weight Permits: There is one weight permit Arlan is holding to call. All other weight permits have been signed by Ken. If Arlan approves the one he is holding, Ken can come in and sign before our next meeting. Motion by Tom to approve bills. Second by Brad. All in favor. So approved. NEW BUSINESS: Appointment – Town Services Manager: Kathy Eastwood said she would accept the position. Motion by Tom to appoint Kathy Eastwood as Town Services Manager. Second by Ken. All in favor. So approved. Town Services Manager helps with emergency situations; such as emergency medical care, etc. help with applications to apply for assistance, grant funds for advance for emergency general assistance. Appointment – Addison County Solid Waste Representative: Chair signed to re-appoint Richard Reed as Addison County Solid Waste Representative. Diane Benware as alternate. Resignation of ACRPC Representative: James Maroney tendered his official resignation. Motion by Tom to accept resignation of James Maroney as ACRPC Representative. Second by Ron. All in favor. So approved. Motion by Tom to authorize Chair to put an article in paper seeking an ACRPC Representative. Second by Ken. All in favor. So approved. Cultural Facilities Grant: The smallest amount is $1,000 up to $100,000. To fix the water at the Senior Center would be the preference over the Sound System at the Meeting House. The water smells of sulphur because the water doesn’t get used enough. Brad asked if it needed a water softener. Tom mentioned at one time they had a water softener at the school.
- The first step would to be to see if there is a water softener at the school.