Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes July 23, 2024

Community Safety will be one of the major topics at the next Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. The Town will give an update on current and future community safety initiatives, including a Brattleboro Police data project and convening a “Brattleboro Collaborative.”

EMS billing policies will change.  The Town will buy a new sand and salt shed, HVAC system, improvements at Living Memorial Park, a new Fire Bucket Truck replacement, and more! You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom. Prior to the special meeting at 5:15pm, the Board will convene in the Selectboard Meeting Room to conduct interviews with prospective members of various Town boards and committees. The interviews are open to the public. After committee interviews, at 5:30pm the Board is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members. The backup materials for this meeting will be available on the town Website Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard by the end of today.

 

Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)

Executive Assistant

Town of Brattleboro

230 Main Street, Suite 208

Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 251 – 8115

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD

TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2024

COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS – 5:15 PM

EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:30 PM

SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM + ZOOM

SPECIAL MEETING – 6:15 PM

The physical location for this meeting will be the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center at 230 Main Street.

Selectboard Meeting materials can be found on the Town’s website, Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard.

If you join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please use this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:

860 6789 2659

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

(*6 Mute/Unmute – *9 Raise Hand)

The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:

On Cable TV: Channel 1079

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv

AGENDA

(please note that all times are approximate)

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING (6:15 PM)

2. APPROVE MINUTES – July 9, 2024

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (6:25 PM)

7. CONSENT AGENDA (6:30 PM)

A. DPW Sand and Salt Shed Installation – Award Bid

B. Transportation Center HVAC Replacement – Award Bid

C. LMP Generational Improvement Projects – Award Bids

D. Public Safety Consulting of New England – Award Contract

E. Fire Bucket Truck Replacement – Award Bid

F. Quarterly Fire Department Report for FY25 Q4 – Accept Report

G. Equitable and Inclusive Communities Grant Program – Accept Grant

8. OLD BUSINESS (6:35 PM)

A. Parking Ordinance– Second Reading

9. NEW BUSINESS (7:05 PM)

A. Brattleboro State Legislative Delegation Update (7:05 PM)

i. What Got Accomplished Relevant to Brattleboro’s Agenda in the 2024 Session?

ii. Selectboard Priorities for the 2025 Session

B. Community Safety Update (7:50 PM)

i. Public Safety Enhancement Team Update

ii. Brattleboro Police Department Data Project

iii. Convening a Brattleboro Collaborative

iv. Next Steps

C. EMS Billing and Collections Policy – H.622 Update (9:15 PM)

D. Committee Appointments (9:25 PM)

10. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants and Department Reports

11. MEETINGS

See Town Calendar

12. ADJOURNMENT (9:30 PM)

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MEMORANDUM

To: Selectboard

From: John Potter, Town Manager

Re: Administrative Report

Date: July 19, 2024

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The following will summarize the proposed motions for the special Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. The Board will convene the special meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. All times listed below are approximate, and interested parties should monitor the meeting if they do not want to miss an agenda item.

Join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:

860 6789 2659

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

(use *6 to Mute/Unmute, *9 to raise Hand)

The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:

On Cable TV: Channel 1079

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv

7. CONSENT AGENDA

A. DPW Sand and Salt Shed Installation – Award Bid

B. Transportation Center HVAC Replacement – Award Bid

C. LMP Generational Improvement Projects – Award Bids

D. Public Safety Consulting of New England – Award Contract

E. Fire Bucket Truck Replacement – Award Bid

F. Quarterly Fire Department Report for FY25 Q4 – Accept Report

G. Equitable and Inclusive Communities Grant Program – Accept Grant

In a memorandum dated July 12, 2024 Darren Pacheco, Highway Superintendent, discusses the Sand/Salt Shed Building project and bid process. Construx Inc. had the low bid at $106,000. Town staff and the Development Review Board have approved the permit request for this project. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize the installation of a sand and salt shed at Public Works with the building’s construction completed by Construx Inc., in the amount of $106,000. The remaining $44,000 allocated for this project will be used on site work, foundation and landscaping.

In a memorandum dated July 12, 2024 Assistant Director of Public Works Pete Lynch discusses the Transportation Center HVAC Replacement project and bid process. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize the installation of three duct dehumidifiers to the Transportation Center HVAC system. The work will be conducted by A.L. Tyler and Sons for $33,350.

In a memorandum dated July 19, 2024 Recreation and Parks Director Carol Lolatte discusses the improvements to Living Memorial Park that are currently underway. Included in the Board’s materials are a memo from Steven Horton to the Selectboard and the Living Memorial Park Generational Improvement Projects Budget. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will award the contract for the generational improvement projects at Living Memorial Park per the information provided in the memo from Steve Horton, Building Consultant (owner representative). Staff also requests that the Board delegate authority to the administration for any change orders on these projects costing up to $30,000 per change order, and not to exceed $414,541 in total.

In a memorandum dated July 12, 2024 Human Resources Director Sally Nix discusses the proposed contract to provide 24/7 prioritized services to Town Staff from Lori Gurney, MS and Beth Jacobs, MS. Included in the Board’s materials is the Public Safety Consulting of New England contract as of 07/11/24. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize a one-year contract with Public Safety Consulting of New England in the amount of $73,280.

In a memorandum dated July 8, 2024 Fire Chief Leonard Howard III discusses the replacement purchase of the Town’s bucket truck. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize the replacement purchase of the department’s 2004 Bucket Truck with a 2024 Ford F550 versa lift truck, from Consolidated Utility Equipment Service (CUES), INC., of Amherst, NH for a cost of $165,589.

In a memorandum dated July 12, 2024 Fire Chief Leonard Howard III discusses the Quarterly Fire/EMS Report for FY24, Quarter 4. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will accept the Quarterly Fire/EMS Report for FY24, Quarter 4.

In a memorandum dated July 12, 2024 Human Resources Director Sally Nix discusses the Equitable & Inclusive Communities Grant Program and opportunities for Town Staff that this grant would cover. Included in the Board’s materials is the Vermont Community Foundation Award Letter. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize the acceptance of a $10,000 grant from the Equitable & Inclusive Communities Grant Program of the Vermont Community Foundation.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED.

8. OLD BUSINESS (6:35PM)

A. Parking Ordinance– Second Reading

In a memorandum dated July 17, 2024 Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland discusses the proposed changes to the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances, Chapter 16 and Appendix C. Moreland also discusses and addresses the concerns expressed at the last meeting on this topic. This is a second reading. The Board is asked to consider the proposed changes and possibly adopt them.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE PARKING FINE AND FEE SCHEDULE USING THE PHASED IN APPROACH AND TO ADOPT THE CHANGES TO BRATTLEBORO CODE OF ORDINANCE CHAPTER16 AND APPENDIX C, AS PRESENTED.

9. NEW BUSINESS (7:05 PM)

A. Brattleboro State Legislative Delegation Update (7:05 PM)

i. What Got Accomplished Relevant to Brattleboro’s Agenda in the 2024 Session?

ii. Selectboard Priorities for the 2025 Session

In a memorandum dated July 19, 2024 Town Manager John Potter provides an update on Brattleboro’s work with the State Legislative Delegation and a draft of Selectboard priorities for the 2025 Legislative Sessions.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

B. Community Safety Update (7:50 PM)

i. Public Safety Enhancement Team Update

ii. Brattleboro Police Department Data Project

iii. Convening a Brattleboro Collaborative

iv. Next Steps

In a memorandum dated July 19, 2024 Town Manager John Potter provides an update on town progress regarding community safety.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

C. EMS Billing and Collections Policy – H.622 Update (9:15 PM)

In a memorandum dated July 15, 2024 Fire Chief Leonard Howard III discusses the proposed EMS Billing and Collection Policy update after the passage of ACT 157, which impacts emergency medical services. Included in the Board’s materials is the updated policy.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE CHANGES TO THE EMS BILLING AND COLLECTIONS POLICY, AS PRESENTED.

D. Committee Appointments (9:25PM)

In a memorandum dated July 19, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the committee application and appointment process, as well as the committee interviews scheduled for the contested seats on the Citizen’s Police Communications Committee (CPCC) and the Tree Committee. The Board is also asked to make an appointment to an uncontested seat.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TBA