Richford VT

SELECTBOARD MEETING
RICHFORD, VERMONT

OCTOBER 6, 2008

Chairman
Eric Collins called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 PM with
members Linda Collins, Robert St. Pierre and Norris Tillotson present.
Also present were Laura Ovitt, Josh Aldrich, Staci Pomeroy, Connie
Burns, Melissa Wells, Marianne Hall, Maurice Hall, Joe Pollender, Basil
Royea, Jim Backhaus, Hank Albarelli, Tim Green, Carolyn Gendron, Tim
Camisa and Mike Rooney.

Jim Backhaus spoke on behalf of the law
enforcement task force, offering assistance to the Selectboard and
inviting community members to participate. Meetings will be noticed on
the Town Hall calendar.

Staci Pomeroy from the Agency of Natural
Resources River Management Program spoke about the streambank
assessment and fluvial erosion program. She said the project will look
t the watershed and assess the river’s physical condition. The
Missisquoi River Basin Association is interested in being the recipient
of a grant that Regional Planning is willing to prepare. A community
member is asked to participate on the steering committee. Melissa Wells
said she interested participating. The project will coordinate with the
Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and with local efforts to gain scenic
river status for the Missisquoi River. The board agreed by consensus to
proceed with the project with Laura being the initial contact person.

Tim
Camisa asked for board support for a community development block grant
to study housing needs for the area. He has been working with an
architect to plan for his property at 111-113 Main St. He said the
grant would be $5000 – $7000, with Tim paying 25% of the project. A
phase 2 application may assist with implementation. A meeting will be
held on Oct. 22 at 1 PM at the FCIDC office in St. Albans; the
Selectboard is invited. Eric Collins and Laura will plan to attend. The
application will be due March 17, with a decision being made in June.
The board agreed by consensus to proceed.

Marianne Hall
discussed the high school wood chip plant and generator projects. She
was responding to comments made at the Sept. 15 meeting, and the
suggestion that the zoning board should not approve the permit
application until the school agreed to assist with the cost of the
generator. She explained the generator projects, which are town owned
as part of an emergency evacuation plan, were started in 2005 – long
before the wood chip project was considered.

Melissa Wells
reported on the recent Regional Planning Commission meeting. She said
the commission worked on their budget report, and reported that the
2009 assessment for Richford will increase from $1903 to $1996. This is
the first increase in many years.

Motion made by Robert St.
Pierre, seconded by Eric Collins, to approve the minutes of the Sept.
15 regular meeting. The motion carried.

Motion made by Linda
Collins, seconded by Robert St. Pierre, to approve the minutes of the
Sept. 23 special meeting. The motion carried.
Selectboard Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2008
Page 2

Basil
Royea asked if the board would be interested in selling some of the old
timber on the dam road for fire wood. Carolyn Gendron said, to be fair
to other loggers, the board should post a warning and accept bids. The
board agreed to take the request under consideration.

Carolyn Gendron presented the board with $200 raised by the road rally held Sept. 28 to be used for a bike/skate park.
Carolyn reported on a recent issue with law enforcement, saying she believes the sheriff is not doing the job.

Robert St. Pierre reported that extensive work has been done on McAllister Road.
The Breault Hill project, being done with a Better Back Roads Grant, is nearly finished.
A
state engineer has reported the Davis Bridge needs extensive work.
Randy Reed, Dist. 8 Highway, is looking into grants to help cover the
cost.
The 1-ton needs major work, and may need to be replaced in the near future.
Yard
debris pick-up is due to resume for the last week in Oct., and the
first week in Nov. Laura said people have called saying pick-up is
going on now. Robert will speak to the crew.

Norris Tillotson reported the controls for the lights in Davis Park need to be checked.
The playground is not being mowed as closely. Soccer practice is being held there, mowing is done by volunteers.
Norris would like to budget for something else next spring.

Linda Collins reported the overhead doors at the emergency services building will cost just over $2,000.
Laura was directed to find out if insurance funds have been received for repair of the pillars.

Eric
Collins reported for Mary Mankin that she and Dmitri Hudak will have
the 2009 water and sewer budget ready for the Oct. 20 meeting, and that
the new rates will be based on that budget.

Robert St. Pierre
reported a water/sewer employee has requested taking comp time rather
than over time. Robert will check on the legality of allowing comp time
for hourly employees.

The board discussed a letter from Matthew
Wills regarding a retaining wall on town property behind his house.
Three board members have looked at the wall, and the board agreed by
consensus it is not a board responsibility. Laura was directed to send
a letter.

Eric Collins read a letter from the Housing Code
Officer and the Health Officer ordering a property on River Street
vacated until such time as all code issues have been addressed and
approved.

Eric read a letter from the planning commission granting site plan approval for the proposed Border Patrol project.
Selectboard Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2008
Page 3

Motion
made by Robert St. Pierre, seconded by Linda Collins, to approve the
900 g/p/d sewer allocation for the proposed Border Patrol project. The
motion carried.

The zoning board of adjustment will hold a conditional use hearing on Oct. 14 at 7:50 for the high school generator project.

Eric read a letter from a company offering to buy the post office building. The board determined they are not interested.

Eric read a notice from the VT Labor Relations Board announcing training programs available.

The
board discussed additional law enforcement coverage for Halloween. The
board agreed by consensus to approve the additional covering.

The
board reviewed several ordinances. Laura was directed to correct the
loitering ordinance by removing reference to Border Patrol, and adding
exemptions from the noise ordinance (Sec. 9305 (d), (e), (f)) to
municipal curfews.
Motion made by Eric Collins, seconded by Robert St. Pierre to approve the bicycle ordinance.
The motion carried.
Motion
made by Linda Collins, seconded by Norris Tillotson, to approve the
three amendments to Title 9 for Noise, Drinking in Public Places, and
Loitering, Establishment of Pedestrian Way and Aggressive Panhandling.
The motion carried.

Motion made by Robert St. Pierre, seconded
by Linda Collins, to set the homestead education tax rate at $0.9975.
The motion carried.

Motion made by Linda Collins, seconded by
Norris Tillotson, to extend the tax due date from Oct. 10 to Nov. 10,
2008. The motion carried.
Linda Collins noted that the town absorbed
the additional cost, not only for the recount and revotes, but for
reprogramming the software to allow for sending adjusted tax bills.

The
board discussed warning articles for a single audit and a 2nd constable
for town meeting. Laura has requested proposals from four auditing
firms. Laura was directed to research whether additional constables can
be appointed.

The board reviewed Basil Royea’s request to cut
firewood on the dam road. The board agreed by consensus to keep the
wood to burn at the town garage.

Laura requested permission to take Oct. 14 and 15 as vacation days. The board approved.

Motion
made by Eric Collins, seconded by Robert St. Pierre, to enter executive
session at 10:00 PM to discuss personnel. The motion carried.
Selectboard Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2008
Page 4

Motion made by Robert St. Pierre, seconded by Norris Tillotson, to leave executive session at 10:20 PM. The motion carried.

As
a result of executive session, the board denied Steve Combs light duty,
saying he cannot return to work until he is 100% per doctor
recommendation.

The Board will check on the legality of setting a retirement age for town employees.

The meeting adjourned at 10:30 PM.

Laura Ovitt
Administrative Assistant