The Brattleboro Selectboard would like to know what you think about the proposed solar farm along I-91. They’ve carved out time during Tuesday’s meeting to listen to your ideas.
If you go, you’ll also be able to participate in discussions of the skating rink compressor, local hiring, the town website, the Town Manager search process, various grants and permits, and other issues.
The proceedings are broadcast and streamed by BCTV, and you can read a wrap-up here the day after.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, July 2, 2013 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 6:00pm to discuss two contractual matters, and reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 6:00PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS
A. Neighborhood Store & Redemption Center LLC
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS –
A. Nelson Withington Skating Rink – Discussion
B. Public Service Board Waiver – WE 90 Technology Drive
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Set Property Tax Rates – FY14
B. Department Reports – Fire
C. Police-Fire Facility –
D. Annual Financial Plan for Town Highways – Dept. of Public Works
E. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Application – Approve
F. Award Contract – Williams Street Sidewalk
G. Town Manager Search Process –
H. RERP Grant – Accept and Appropriate
I. Street Blocking Permit – Art on Wheels
J. Rename Private Right of Way – Belair Drive
K. Brattleboro Website – Discussion
L. Local Hiring – Discussion
M. Selectboard Committee Assignment and Warrants
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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TO: Selectboard June 26, 2013
FROM: Barbara Sondag, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Administrative Report
The following will summarize the proposed motions for those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday, July 2, 2013 Selectboard Meeting. The meeting will be convened at 6:00pm when it is anticipated that the Board will enter executive session to discuss two contractual matters. The regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS
A Second Class Liquor License – Neighborhood Store and Redemption Center The Board is in receipt of a second class liquor license from Neighborhood Store and Redemption Center at 502 Guilford St. In the packet you will find records from the DRB when the permit request was granted. Also included is a map showing the location of second class liquor license holders in the Town. While this is a new request, a similar request in the past was denied by a previous Selectboard due to the location of the establishment.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A SECOND CLASS LIQUOR LICENSE TO NEIGHBORHOOD STORE AND REDEMPTION CENTER LLC AT 502 GUILFORD STREET.
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – NONE
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Nelson Withington Skating Rink – Discussion At the June 18 meeting the Board discussed the replacement of the compressors and condenser at the Nelson Withington Skating Rink. This project was estimated to cost $362,000, but when bids were received the lowest bid was $471,000. Board members expressed a desire to “take a step back” and review this project. In the Board packet you will find a document in which I attempt to clearly define the problem and outline possible solutions.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
B. Public Service Board Waiver – WE 90 Technology Drive, LLC At the June 18 meeting the Board took up the matter of proposed construction of a commercial solar project at 90 Technology Drive. At that meeting the Board voted down a motion to waive the 45 day notice for the Public Service Board hearing. During the 45 day notice period the Board has the opportunity to weigh in on the project. The Board expressed interest in hearing from citizens about the project as well as hearing from developer. Joel Lindsay of Weston Solutions will come before the Board to explain the project. In addition, the Board has in the packet a letter from the Conservation Commission. The Town Agriculture Committee is meeting on Monday July 1 to discuss the matter, and it is anticipated that the committee will also weigh in on the matter.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Set Property Tax Rates – FY14 The Board is expected to set the Property Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 2014. At the time of this writing we have yet to receive necessary information from the State. It is possible the material will come prior to the Board meeting enabling the Board to set the tax rates.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
B. Department Report – Fire Chief Mike Bucossi will come before the Board to discuss operations within the Fire Department. This is the third in the series of Department reports.
POTENTIAL MOTION: None
C. Police-Fire Facility – Construction Delivery Method At its June 20 meeting the Police-Fire Facility Committee approved a motion to recommend to the Selectboard that the Town utilize the services of a Construction Management service delivery system for construction of the Police-Fire Facilities. (The minutes from that meeting are included in the packet.) The alternative to Construction Management is General Contractor. Steve Horton, Project Manager for the Town will be at the Board meeting to discuss the differences between Construction Management and General Contractor. If the Board votes to utilize Construction Management, Horton, staff and the Committee will begin work on the Request for Qualifications to hire the Construction Management firm.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE USE OF A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM AND TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER AND PROJECT MANAGER TO BEGIN THE PROCESS FOR SELECTION OF A QUALIFIED FIRM.
D. Annual Financial Plan for Town Highways – The Board is asked to approve the Annual Financial Plan form for Town Highways. Information from this form is used by the State to determine the amount of funding the Town will receive from the State. Currently the Town receives slightly over $220,000 from the State annually for construction, improvements and repairs of roads.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE STATE OF VERMONT ANNUAL FINANCIAL PLAN FOR BRATTLEBORO ROADS.
E. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Application – The Board is asked to approve a grant application in the amount of $144,000 from the Vermont Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Grant program (HMGP) to pay for construction of a flood wall at 257 Marlboro Road (American Traders) to prevent future flooding. This is the fifth round of HMGP funding. While many properties suffered damage from Tropical Storm Irene, very few qualified under the guidelines of the HMGP program. While still being engineered, the project will involve flood walls surrounding the building. The grant would be in the amount of $144,000 with matching funds of $48,000 coming from the property owner.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $144,000 FROM THE VERMONT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING FLOOD WALLS AT 257 MARLBORO ROAD, WITH MATCHING FUNDS OF $48,000 COMING FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
F. Award Contract – Williams Street Sidewalk As Board members are aware, Williams Street was damaged during Tropical Storm Irene. With the designation of a Federal Highway, the repair of the road was 100% paid for with federal funds. One of the last remaining parts of this repair is to repair damaged sidewalk. The Town requested bids and received four proposals. Highway Superintendent Hannah O’Connell is requesting authorization to award the contract to Dave Manning, Inc of Brattleboro in the amount of $130,324.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD THE A CONTRACT TO DAVE MANNING INC OF BRATTLEBORO IN THE AMOUNT OF $130,324 FOR THE PURPOSE OF SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION AT WILLIAMS STREET.
G. Town Manager Search – At a special meeting on Monday June 24 the Board heard from Abigail Friedman of the Vermont League of Cities and Town concerning services the League provides to municipalities when searching for a Town Manager. A proposed contract for services is included in the Board’s packet and it is anticipated the Board will vote to determine whether to enter into a contract with the VLCT for these services.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,000 (PLUS ADVERTISING COSTS) BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO AND THE VERMONT LEAGUE OF CITIES AND TOWNS FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSISTANCE WITH THE RECRUITMENT OF A TOWN MANAGER.
H. RERP Grant – Accept and Appropriate The Board is asked to accept and appropriate the annual Radiological Emergency Response Plan from Vermont Emergency Management in the amount of $31,500.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE THE FY14 ANNUAL RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN GRANT FROM VERMONT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $31,500.
I. Street Blocking Permit – Art on Wheels The Board is asked to approve a street blocking permit for Lynde Motorsports at 79 Flat Street for the annual Art on Wheels event, August 2 from 5pm until 11pm. This event has occurred for several years now without incident. Flat Street would be closed from the Flat-Elm-Frost Streets intersection to the end of the Lynde Motorsports property.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE STREET CLOSURE PERMIT FROM LYNDE MOTORSPORTS FOR AUGUST 2 FROM 5PM UNTIL 11PM WITH FLAT STREET BEING CLOSED FROM THE FLAT-ELM-FROST INTERSECTION TO THE END OF THE LYNDE MOTORSPORTS PROPERTY.
J. Rename Private Right of Way – Belair Drive The Board is asked to approve the changing of a name for a private right of way off of South Main to Belair Drive.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE NAME OF BELAIR DRIVE FOR A PORTION OF THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF WAY OFF OF SOUTH MAIN STREET.
K. Brattleboro Website – Discussion At the request of a Board member the Board will take up discussion of the Town’s website.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
L. Local Hiring/Purchasing – At the request of a Board member the Board will take up discussion of hiring local. Included in the Board’s packet is the section from the Town’s purchasing policies regarding utilization of local business.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
M. Selectboard Committee Assignments and Warrants – With the resignation of Ken Schneck the Board is asked to appoint a new Board member to the Rental Housing Improvement Program Committee. In addition it is anticipated that the Board will review the Board assignments for reviewing and approving the Town warrants.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
