Richford VT

TOWN OF RICHFORD SELECTBOARD
SPECIAL MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2008

Vice-Chair
Linda Collins called the special meeting to order at 5:00 PM with
members Mary Mankin and Norris Tillotson present. Eric Collins joined
the meeting at 5:45 PM. Also present were Laura Ovitt, Dmitri Hudak,
Melissa Wells, Connie Burns and Joan Cheeseman. Marcia Perry joined the
meeting at 7:05 PM.

Mary Mankin reviewed the proposed 2009
water/sewer budgets and the rate restructure. She said the River Street
manhole replacement exceeded the $10,000 cap set by the board by
$2,800. The developer will be billed. Mary will prepare notices of the
rate restructure, which will be billed for usage from Oct. 2008 - May
2009, for the billing to go out in November. Several increases in the
budget, particularly the water dept., were detailed. Contracted
services increased due to the need to clean the reservoirs. Utilities
increased mainly due to phone and DSL rates. The Kabota tractor needs a
new motor. The chart recorders are obsolete and need to be updated to a
modern system, thus an increase in equipment purchase. The water/sewer
dept. truck was discussed at length. It will need to be replaced in the
near future. The board discussed having the highway dept. plow the
water and sewer plants in the winter and purchasing a smaller truck for
the water/sewer depts.. Contracted services for both water and sewer
depts. were increased $2500 to provide for paving when streets need to
be excavated for repairs.
The line item for sewer contracted
services decreased by $18,000 - it was increased in 2008 for two
manhole replacements, which were completed.
Also discussed was the
proposal to change Francis Whitney's yearly work hours from 50%-25%-25%
(highway-water-sewer) to 42%-29%-29%, respectively.  This will be
further discussed at the regular meeting on Nov. 3 with Robert St
Pierre, Highway Commissioner.
With the $52000 reimbursement coming
from the state to the water department, both departments' short term
debt should be paid off by the end of 2009, with any leftover funds
going into the long term capital investment fund.
Future projects
and costs discussed also included: eventual need to replace the 4"
mains; upcoming need for sludge removal from the two wastewater lagoons
and the option of purchasing or co-owning a portable sludge removal
system that can be used without draining the lagoons; and the option of
installing an anaerobic cell in one lagoon to further reduce sludge
buildup and decrease the need for blower activity, thus reducing
electricity use.
The rate restructure was explained and discussed.
The industrial rate was increased from a multiplier of 5.0 to a
multiplier of 10.0. The board will finalize the budgets and rates at
their regular meeting on Nov. 3.

Eric Collins assumed the Chair.
Eric
read the letter from the Zoning Board of Adjustment that explained why
the permit application for the generator at the high school was denied.
Members of the ZBA present at the meeting explained what was lacking in
the application. The board will submit a new application. Norris
Tillotson reported that no work will be started until spring due to
weather conditions.

Marcia Perry explained that she wished to
present a Health Center project to the Board. Eric Collins told her the
board could not discuss the project because the warning did not include
the subject. Marcia will be on the agenda for the Nov. 3 regular
meeting. Marcia left the meeting.

Motion made by Linda Collins,
seconded by Norris Tillotson, to enter executive session at 7:30 PM to
discuss personnel. Eric Collins said that Laura Ovitt, Joan Cheeseman,
Connie Burns and Melissa Wells would be present during the session. The
motion carried.

Motion made by Linda Collins, seconded by Mary Mankin, to leave executive session at 8:00 PM. The motion carried.

Selectboard Meeting Minutes
October 27, 2008
Page 2
As
a result of executive session, motion made by Linda Collins, seconded
by Norris Tillotson, that the board will check with the Secretary of
State regarding the appropriate course of action and will invite Tim
Green to attend the next meeting. The motion carried unanimously.

Laura Ovitt
Administrative Assistant