The Brattleboro Selectboard will continue to review FY22 proposed budgets for the Parking and Utilities Funds at their next regular meeting. Either or both may be adopted.
The board will also buy two new dump trucks, discuss placement of a ski jumper sculpture on Main Street during winter months, figure out details of dependent care reimbursement for themselves, and consider buying a summer sidewalk tractor. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, using Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19). The Board will enter into executive session at 5:00pm to discuss the appointment, employment, or evaluation of a public officer or employee, the negotiation of a real estate lease, and labor relations agreements with employees. The Board will reconvene at 6:15pm for the business portion of the meeting. The attached agenda and administrative report contain information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” Information about how to connect to the meeting is also posted on the homepage of the Town’s website. ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:00PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA
NOTE: This meeting will be held with no physical location using Zoom.
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
Passcode: 12261753
You also can call in using your telephone
by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:
833-548-0282
877-853-5247
888-788-0099
833-548-0276
or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers
for locations around the world using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA
The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:
860 6789 2659
The meeting will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – May 4
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Monthly Financial Report – FY21 Through April
B. Certificate of No Appeals Pending – Town Assessor
C. Purchase of Replacement Dump Truck for Public Works Department
D. Purchase of Replacement 1-Ton Dump Truck for Recreation and Parks Department
E. Western Avenue Paving Project – Bid Award
F. Summer Matters For All Grant – Ratification of Town Manager’s Authorization to Apply
G. Annual Bullet Proof Vests Grant – Authorization to Apply
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. Proposed FY22 Utilities Fund Budget – Continued Consideration and Possible Adoption
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Proposed FY22 Parking Fund Budget – Continued Consideration and Possible Adoption
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Proposed Ski Jumper Sculpture
B. Purchase of Replacement Sidewalk Tractor for Public Works Department
C. Draft Procedure for Dependent Care Reimbursement for Selectboard Members
D. Announce Committee Vacancies
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
12. MEETINGS
See Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: Peter B. Elwell, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: May 14, 2021
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The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The Board will meet in executive session at 5:00pm to discuss the appointment, employment, or evaluation of a public officer or employee; the negotiation of a real estate lease; and labor relations agreements with employees. The Board will reconvene the business meeting
at 6:15pm on Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19).
The public may join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
Passcode: 12261753
You also can call in using your telephone
by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:
833-548-0282
877-853-5247
888-788-0099
833-548-0276
or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers
for locations around the world using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA
The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:
860 6789 2659
The meeting will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Monthly Financial Report – FY21 Through April
B. Certificate of No Appeals Pending – Town Assessor
C. Purchase of Replacement Dump Truck for Public Works Department
D. Purchase of Replacement 1-Ton Dump Truck for Recreation and Parks Department
E. Western Avenue Paving Project – Bid Award
F. Summer Matters For All Grant – Ratification of Town Manager’s Authorization to Apply
G. Annual Bullet Proof Vests Grant – Authorization to Apply 2 | P a g e Selectboard Meeting 5/18/21
The Board is asked to approve the Consent Agenda, as presented.
The Monthly Financial Report is provided in the usual format, along with a summary memorandum dated May 5, 2021, from Accountant Kim Ellison. No action is required on this matter.
Town Assessor Jenepher Burnell has provided her certification that no appeals are pending from actions of the Listers and no suits are pending to recover taxes paid under protest relating to the April 1, 2020, Grand List. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will constitute the Selectboard’s approval, in accordance with State statutes, of the “Town Assessor’s Certificate – No Appeal or Suit Pending” for this year.
The Department of Public Works is seeking replacement of a 2012 International dump truck as part of the FY22 Capital Equipment Plan. Three bids were received. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will award this bid for the total price of $156,090 to the low bidder, Delurey Sales and Service, of North Hoosick, New York. As noted in the memorandum dated May 7, 2021, from Public Works Director Steve Barrett and Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler, this is substantially less than the $180,000 contained in the capital budget for this purchase.
The Recreation & Parks Department is seeking replacement of a 2011 Dodge 1-ton dump truck as part of the FY22 Capital Equipment Plan. Two bids were received. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will award this bid in the amount of $35,990 to the low bidder, Bessy Motor Sales, of South Paris, Maine. As noted in the memorandum dated May 12, 2021, from Recreation & Parks Director Carol Lolatte, $38,000 was allocated in the capital budget for this purchase.
The Department of Public Works has received a verbal commitment from VTrans to provide a $75,000 grant to the Town for maintenance of Western Avenue with the stipulation that the work be completed before the end of this fiscal year (June 30). This funding will provide a leveling course of asphalt on Western Avenue from approximately Orchard Street to Academy School. Two bids were received. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will award this bid to the low bidder, DMI Paving, Inc., of Brattleboro, for a total amount of $70,880. As set forth in the memorandum dated May 12, 2021, from Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler, this project will initially be funded with capital paving funds and then reimbursed by VTrans.
The Recreation & Parks Department is asking the Board to ratify the Town Manager’s decision to authorize application for the Vermont After School Summer Matters For All Grant. As set forth in the memorandum dated May 4, 2021, from Recreation & Parks Director Carol Lolatte, the $20,000 grant would offset the increased cost of staff salaries for two additional weeks of Summer Day Camp this year, as well as stretch the existing funds to help make camp financially accessible to all families through a sliding fee scale. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will ratify the Town Manager’s decision to authorize the application for this grant.
The Police Department is asking the Board for authority to apply for a $2,112 Bulletproof Vest Grant from the Office of Justice Programs to purchase bulletproof vests. Approval of this item as part of the Consent Agenda will authorize that annual grant application, as set forth in the memorandum dated May 3, 2021, from Accountant Kim Ellison.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. Proposed FY22 Utilities Fund Budget – Continued Consideration and Possible Adoption The Selectboard considered staff’s proposed FY22 Utilities Fund Budget at its May 4 meeting. Staff was not directed to make any changes, so the Board is asked to adopt the FY22 Utilities Fund Budget, as presented.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE FY22 UTILITIES FUND BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Proposed FY22 Parking Fund Budget – Continued Consideration and Possible Adoption The Selectboard considered staff’s proposed FY22 Parking Fund Budget at its May 4 meeting. During that discussion, the Board asked staff to bring back information on the possibility of completing the full deck sealing project at the Transportation Center instead of just the joint replacement portion. In addition, a question was raised about the budget for parking fine collections. Staff has completed the additional research and that information is included in the memorandum dated May 12, 2021, from Town Manager Elwell. The revised FY22 Parking Fund Budget is included in the back-up materials. Unless the Board has any additional questions or desires to make any additional changes, staff recommends that the Board adopt the FY22 Parking Fund Budget, as presented.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE FY22 PARKING FUND BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Proposed Ski Jumper Sculpture The 100th anniversary of the Harris Hill Ski Jump in Brattleboro will be celebrated in 2022. As a centennial gift to the community, representatives of Harris Hill Ski Jump, Inc., have proposed placement of a ski jumper sculpture near the Wells Fountain at the north end of Main Street. Photographs of the proposed sculpture are contained in the Board’s back-up materials. Staff met with the sculpture proposers to discuss logistics of displaying the sculpture, as set forth in the memorandum dated May 12, 2021, from Town Manager Elwell. Harris Hill Ski Jump, Inc., President Patricia Howell and other Harris Hill representatives will be at the meeting to participate in the Selectboard’s consideration of this request. The Board is asked to approve allowing Harris Hill Ski Jump, Inc., to install a ski jumper sculpture annually on the median island near Wells Fountain during the months of December, January, and February, as presented.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE ALLOWING HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP, INC., TO INSTALL A SKI JUMPER SCULPTURE ANNUALLY ON THE MEDIAN ISLAND NEAR WELLS FOUNTAIN BETWEEN DECEMBER 1 AND MARCH 1, AS PRESENTED.
B. Purchase of Replacement Sidewalk Tractor for Public Works Department The Department of Public Works is seeking replacement of a 2011 trackless sidewalk tractor as part of the FY22 Capital Equipment Plan. The Department researched the equipment and discovered a separate accessory that would allow the tractor to be used in the summer for grinding joints in asphalt in order to patch and repair roadways. That alternative was bid as “Option #1” and the straight replacement of the sidewalk snow plow without the asphalt planer attachment was bid as “Option #2.” One bid was received for each option. As set forth in the memorandum dated May 7, 2021, from Public Works Director Steve Barrett and Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler, after deducting the trade-in value of the 2011 sidewalk tractor, HP Fairfield bid $168,000 for Option #1 and $138,840 for Option #2. The FY22 Capital Equipment Replacement Plan included $139,000 for this purchase. The $29,000 difference between the budgeted amount and the Option #1 purchase price would come from the capital roads account. The Board is asked to select Option #1 and award the bid to HP Fairfield in the total amount of $168,000 for a 2022 Trackless MT7 sidewalk tractor with snowblower, power folding V-plow, sander, deep reduction gear box, asphalt cold planer, and replacement picks for the planer.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A BID TO HP FAIRFIELD IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $168,000 FOR A 2022 TRACKLESS MT7 SIDEWALK TRACTOR WITH SNOWBLOWER, POWER FOLDING V-PLOW, SANDER, DEEP REDUCTION GEAR BOX, ASPHALT COLD PLANER, AND REPLACEMENT PICKS FOR THE PLANER.
C. Draft Procedure for Dependent Care Reimbursement for Selectboard Members At this year’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM), RTM approved an increase in the stipend for Selectboard members and also approved reimbursing Selectboard members for dependent care expenses they incur in the conduct of Town business. RTM did not specify a dollar limit or what constitutes the conduct of Town business so Town Manager Peter Elwell has made some suggestions and asks for further guidance, as set forth in his memorandum dated May 12, 2021. The Board is asked to provide further direction to staff and to approve the proposed procedure for reimbursement of dependent care expenses incurred by Selectboard members.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PROCEDURE PROPOSED BY TOWN MANAGER ELWELL FOR REIMBURSING SELECTBOARD MEMBERS WHO INCUR DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSES RELATED TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN TOWN BUSINESS.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE HAVING THE SELECTBOARD STIPEND AND DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT PAID MONTHLY.
OTHER POTENTIAL MOTION(S): TBD
D. Announce Committee Vacancies Most Town boards and committees have staggered terms with some members’ terms expiring on June 30 of each year. Thus, every May, the Board announces vacancies on virtually every Town board and committee. To fill current and upcoming vacancies, the Board will be asked to make appointments and reappointments at its meetings in June.
NO MOTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.
