Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard at the Municipal Center on Main Street will feature discussions of many grants. Of greater interest, however, may be the discussion and setting of the FY15 Utilities budget, rates, and plan for capital improvements, or the discussion about creating a new public turnaround at New England Drive.
Connecticut River Transit will explain rate and route changes, a bid to begin work at the Western Avenue/Union Hill intersection will be awarded, a town hiring pause discussion will continue, and you can bring up other items not mentioned in the agenda during public participation. Watch on BCTV, and read the summary here the day after.…
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:45pm to discuss a personnel matter. The business meeting will reconvene at 6:15pm.
ASL interpreters will be available for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2014
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:45PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – February 4, February 10
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. FY15 Utility Budget, Rates, and Capital Plan
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report
B. Connecticut River Transit – Rates and Route Changes
C. Laying Out Public Road – New England Drive, Town Manager
D. Award Bid – Western Avenue and Union Hill, Dept. of Public Works
E. Grant Amendment – Ames Hill Hazard Mitigation Grant, Dept. of Public Works
F. Grant Amendment – Barrows Road Hazard Mitigation Grant, Dept. of Public Works
G. Accept and Appropriate Grant – VDEMHS Rapid Deployment Craft Grant, Fire Dept.
H. Grant Application – HSGP Vermont Communication Grant, Police Dept.
I. Grant Application – VDEMHS Municipal Working Group Grant, Police Dept.
J. Accept and Appropriate Grant – Local Bypass Mitigation Grant, Town Manager
K. Committee Appointment – Small Business Assistance Program Loan Committee, BDCC
L. Confirm Informational Meeting Times – Public gathering 6:00pm, Caucuses 6:30pm, Meeting 7:00pm
M. Hiring Pause
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports
12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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TO: Selectboard February 13, 2014
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, February 18, 2014 Selectboard Meeting. It is anticipated that the Board will meet in executive session beginning at 5:45pm to discuss a personnel matter; the regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. Utility Budget, Rates, and Capital Plan – Department of Public Works. An updated Utility Fund Budget and Capital Plan are included for your review.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A FY15 UTILITY FUND BUDGET OF $5,759,325, WITH REVENUE OF $5,011,276, AND A UTILITY CAPITAL PLAN OF $526,000.
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report. Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to discuss the monthly financial report for January, 2014.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
B. Connecticut River Transit – Rates and Route Changes. Randy Schoonmaker and Rebecca Gagnon from Connecticut River Transit will discuss potential changes to bus service in Brattleboro. A public hearing for the proposed changes will be held in the Selecboard Meeting Room in Brattleboro on Friday, February 21st at 1:30pm. Included in the proposed FY15 budget is a $50,000 contribution to CRT for bus service in Brattleboro. The level of contribution was set out in a Memorandum of Understanding between CRT and the Town from 2010. The memo states that after FY12 contributions will be negotiated annually.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
C. Laying Out Public Road – New England Drive, Town Manager. Last winter the new owner of 176 New England Drive notified the Town that the long standing use of a turnaround at that location would no longer be allowed. For the next twelve months the Town engaged property owners at the end of New England Drive in an effort to negotiate a solution to the lack of public turnaround. These negotiations were unable to yield meaningful results. This condition cannot stand as the public safety is jeopardized by the lack of a public turnaround.
POTENTIAL MOTION: I MOVE THAT THE TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO LAY OUT AND ESTABLISH AN EXTENSION OF NEW ENGLAND DRIVE FROM THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY LINE OF LOPATA TO A POINT AT THE SOUTHERN POINT OF THE ISLAND IN THE CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY ON LANDS OF LOPATA AND ALSO TO LAY OUT AND ESTABLISH A TURNAROUND IN THE SHAPE OF A “T” OR HAMMERHEAD WITH THE TOP OF THE”T” HAVING A DIMENSION OF 70’X30’ FOR VEHICLES ADJACENT TO THE ROADWAY. I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE BOARD HOLD A SITE VISIT AND HEARING ON __________, 2014 (AFTER PROVIDING THE NECESSARY 30 DAYS NOTICE TO ABUTTERS).
D. Award Bid – Western Avenue and Union Hill, Department of Public Works. Last year the Town was awarded a grant from the Vermont Department of Transportation, through the Local Transportation Facilities (LTF) program. The bid process has been undertaken in conformance with the LTF regulations and a recommendation will be presented by Public Works Director Steve Barrett. The recommendation, Holden Engineering, was not the low bid; however price is but one consideration with LTF projects. Other factors taken into consideration are understanding of the scope, knowledge of the project, past performance, etc.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $28,656.40 TO HOLDEN ENGINEERING FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR A REDESIGN OF WESTERN AVENUE AND UNION HILL.
E. Grant Amendment – Ames Hill Hazard Mitigation Grant, Department of Public Works. Following Tropical Storm Irene, DPW identified drainage improvements on Ames Hill Road that could reduce future damages to public infrastructure at that location. A grant was made to the Town by Vermont Department of Public Safety, however we experienced a cost overrun of $3,899. The match provided by the Town came in the form of labor from DPW.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMES HILL HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT AND APPROPRIATE $3,899 FROM THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR AMES HILL DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
F. Grant Amendment – Barrows Road Hazard Mitigation Grant, Department of Public Works. Following Tropical Storm Irene, DPW identified drainage improvements on Barrows Road that could reduce future damages to public infrastructure at that location. A grant was made to the Town by Vermont Department of Public Safety, however we experienced a cost overrun of $10,392. The match provided by the Town came in the form of labor from DPW.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AN AMENDMENT TO THE BARROWS ROAD MITIGATION GRANT AND APPROPRIATE $10,392 FROM THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR AMES HILL DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
G. Accept and Appropriate Grant – VDEMHS Rapid Deployment Craft Grant, Brattleboro Fire Department. The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a grant in the amount of $5,600 from the VT Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (VDEMHS) for the purchase of a Rapid Deployment Craft. This craft had been a component to a larger grant from the same source, but the craft is being awarded as a separate grant.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,600 FROM THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE PURCHASE OF A RAPID DEPLOYMENT CRAFT.
H. Grant Application – HSGP Vermont Communications Grant, Brattleboro Police. The Brattleboro Police Department is seeking authorization to apply for a grant in the amount of $134,476.57 from the Vermont Department of Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) for a voting radio repeater system. If awarded, the repeater equipment would be able to bring the quality of the BPD radio system on par with BFD and provide enhanced security for officers and the public.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $134,476.57 TO THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY, FROM THE VCOMM GRANT PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION FO A VOTING REPEATER SYSTEM.
I. Grant Application – VDEMHS Municipal Working Group Grant, Brattleboro Police. The Brattleboro Police Department is seeking authorization to apply for a grant in the amount of $134,476.57 from to Vermont Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for a voting radio repeater system. If awarded, the repeater equipment would be able to bring the quality of the BPD radio system on par with BFD and provide enhanced security for officers and the public.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $134,476.57 TO THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY, FROM THE MUNICIPAL WORKING GROUP GRANT PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION FO A VOTING REPEATER SYSTEM.
J. Accept and Appropriate – Local Bypass Mitigation Grant, Town Manager The Town of Brattleboro has been awarded a grant in the amount of $7,663 for costs associated with the increased road traffic on Upper Dummerston Road arising from the bridge replacement project on I-91. The grant funds will be used to offset increases in chloride on the gravel road surface, and additional police presence during times when Route 30 is closed.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,663 FROM THE VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF INCREASED MAINTENANCE AND POLICE PATROL OF UPPER DUMMERSTON ROAD.
K. Committee Appointments – Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) Loan Committee, BDCC. The Board is asked to appoint Pat Moulton Powden to the Small Business Assistance Program Loan Committee.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPOINT PAT MOULTON POWDEN TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM LOAN COMMITTEE.
L. Confirm Informational Meeting Times – Public Gathering 6:00pm, Caucuses 6:30pm, Meeting 7:00pm
POTENTIAL ACTION: TBD
M. Hiring Pause
POTENTIAL ACTION: TBD
