The Brattleboro Housing Authority will make an appearance at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. They will be presenting plans for the Red Clover Common, one of two new developments planned to relocate residents of Melrose Terrace, and asking the board for support.
The Skating Rink Committee will offer up suggestions for the refrigeration system at the rink, we’ll get an update on the search for a new Town Manager, and the Selectboard will have an easily-watchable discussion of the town budget plan for the first time in many years. If there’s something not on the agenda, you can bring it up during public participation.
Attend in person or watch on BCTV, and check here for the recap.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. The Board will conduct committee interviews starting at 5:00pm. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 6:00pm to discuss a contractual matter. The regular business meeting will begin at 6:15pm.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS – 5:00PM
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 6:00PM REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – November 5, November 14
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS – None.
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Report from Hoyle Tanner
B. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Financial Report
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report
B. Brattleboro Housing Authority – Support for Red Clover Commons Plan
C. Skating Rink Committee – Recommendation
D. Grant Application – VDEMHS Technical Rescue Grant
E. Town Manager Search – Update
F. FY15 Budget – Discussion
G. Committee Appointments
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports
12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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TO: Selectboard November 14, 2013
FROM: Patrick Moreland, Interim Town Manager
SUBJECT: Administrative Report
The following will summarize the proposed motions for those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Selectboard Meeting. It is anticipated that the Board will conduct committee interviews beginning at 5:00pm and will likely enter into executive session beginning at 6:00pm to discuss a contractual matter, and the regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONER – None.
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Report. The Board is in receipt of the monthly report from Hoyle Tanner and Associates regarding the Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade. The submittal review process is ongoing and negotiations with PC continue on a series of change orders. In the past month work has been focused on punch list items, performance optimization and improvements to the SCADA monitoring and control system. Recent correspondence from PC indicates that a project completion date should occur by the end of November. As you know the construction schedule is long overdue and the Town is considering the utilization of the liquidated damages clause in our contract with PC. Discussions between the Town, PC and Hoyle Tanner are working to identify the specific areas of concerns to be addressed, including: the resolution of change orders; liquidated damages and additional engineering costs. I plan to update the Board on a resolution strategy in December.
Spring Tree Pump Station is substantially complete, with only a few punch list items remaining. The Black Mountain gravity system remains in the final design stage, with ongoing work on permitting and easements.
The Board is asked to approve a change order, previously approved by the DPW, in the amount of ($731) for the elimination of an Exterior PVC Junction box.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF ($731) AND TO AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER TO SIGN ANY CORRESPONDING CHANGE ORDERS.
B. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Financial Report. Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to update the Board.
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report. Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to update the Board.
B. Brattleboro Housing Authority – Support for Red Clover Commons Plan. The Brattleboro Housing Authority, and its partner Housing Vermont, are seeking a letter of support for the Red Clover Commons project being initiated at 464 Canal Street. The project will provide 55 units of housing for elderly and disabled residents from Melrose Terrace. In order to develop Red Clover Commons, BHA must petition HUD to dispose of public housing units, currently tied to the Melrose Terrace project, and to transfer the subsidy into a form that could be utilized in support the Red Clover Commons project. A second redevelopment project envisioned by BHA for the existing Melrose Terrace facility is still in the early stages of development, and so the Town cannot comment on this portion of BHA’s plans. However the Red Clover Commons project shows considerable consistency with the Brattleboro Town Plan and a letter affirming Brattleboro’s support has been drafted. .A resolution authorizing Selectboard Chair Gartenstein to sign on behalf of the Town of Brattleboro is included.
POTENTIAL MOTION: THAT THE TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO, THROUGH THE SELECTBOARD, EXPRESS ITS SUPPORT FOR THE BRATTLEBORO HOUSING AUTHORITY (BHA) APPLICATION TO HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) FOR THE DISPOSITION OF LANDS AND SIXTEEN BUILDINGS AT MELROSE TERRACE SUBJECT TO A DECLARATION OF TRUST BETWEEN BHA AND HUD TO ENABLE RELOCATION OF RESIDENTS OUT OF THE FLOODWAY AND FLOOD FRINGE, AND THAT THE SELECTBOARD CHAIR BE AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE THE LETTER OF SUPPORT IN THE FORM PRESENTED.
C. Skating Rink Committee – Recommendation, Department of Recreation & Parks. For the past two months the Skating Rink Committee has met to consider options for the future of the refrigeration system at the Nelson Withington Skating Rink. The committee’s first decision was to meet with Brad Oakes of Vermont Commercial Refrigeration to discuss how best to preserve the recent $33,000 investment in the 66 and 100 HP compressors. After hearing from Mr. Oakes, the committee voted unanimously in favor of enclosing the plate and frame heat exchanger, presently situated outside the building, into the inside heated space. Also needed to preserve the recent investment would be some modifications to the control systems, valves, and an oil separator. This work, the committee believes, should be done one step at a time, until the system is fully optimized. Accordingly, the exact extent of the work and specific cost will be determined once optimization is achieved.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
D. Approve Grant Application – VDEMHS Technical Rescue Grant, Fire Department. The BFD is a frequent recipient of small grants from Vermont Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (VDEMHS). In an effort to improve operational efficiency, the VDEMHS is now bundling several of the training and equipment grants together. The memo from Fire Chief Mike Bucossi outlines the 6 different training opportunities, along with one piece of equipment, for which the funding source is now seeking on a consolidated grant application.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A TECHNICAL RESCUE GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,787.54 TO VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY FOR MULTIPLE TRAININGS AND ONE PIECE OF PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
E. Town Manager Search – Update.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
F. FY 15 Budget – Discussion.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
G. Committee Appointments
Kudos to the board for open budget talks
This would be a good meeting for anyone interested in town finances and tax rates to watch or attend.
For many years, discussions of the town budget were held outside of the regular Tuesday meetings which made it difficult for citizens to know what was being contemplated.
The current board is more open to public involvement and has taken the step of adding a budget discussion to a regular Tuesday meeting so that it can be televised and reported on. Local taxpayers should take advantage of this and pay attention.
Plus, with a contract matter just prior to the meeting, there may be another interesting announcement when the Town Manager search update occurs.