In one of their longer meetings to date this year, the Brattleboro Selectboard worked their way through a great deal of municipal information Tuesday evening.
They heard a full and detailed report on the usefulness of the West Brattleboro Fire Station, No. 2, learned about work being done by the Brattleboro Energy Committee, outlined preliminary and potentially positive plans for the FY16 budget, appreciated the work of the Downtown Alliance, discussed the value of putting vague items on the agenda, and more. There were also suggestions of abandoning the Municipal Center, and getting rid of the pool, from former Chair Dick Degray.
Preliminaries
Neither Chair David Gartenstein, nor Interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland, had any opening remarks.
Gartenstein did offer up the only Selectboard comments and committee reports, saying that the Traffic Safety Committee had been working to make sure data used for planning purposes is properly produced.
Public Participation
John Wilmerding encouraged the general public to join him, the sole current member, on the Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee to help produce the annual report to Town Meeting representatives. Speak with him or moderator Lawrin Crispe if interested.
Tim Johnson said that Project Feed The Thousands was still lagging behind in their goal of $100,000 and the equivalent of 200,000 meals. He hoped people would do what they could to help make sure people aren’t hungry.
Liquor Commissioners
Turquoise Grille, a new restaurant opening in the renovated Brooks House, was granted a First Class liquor license by the board.
The restaurant at 128 Main Street is owned by Hale Kiziltan and her father Michael Kiziltan, who also owns Brilliance and the Tulip Cafe in Brattleboro.
Ms. Kiziltan said that as a grille, they would be serving “burgers, kabobs… meat” and that people would likely want a beer. She said they’d be opening in February or before, for lunch and dinner from 11 am to 9 pm.
Errors and Omissions to the Grand List
The Grand List is completed and filed in June, but each year there are changes that come from adjustments to values after it is submitted. As such, a list of corrections, known as Errors and Omissions, also gets filed, and the Selectboard must approve the list before sending it along to the state.
Daniel Fife, assistant assessor, gave the details to the board.
The grand list gained $122,990 in Real Estate value and lost $243,000 in Business Personal Property valuation, leading to an overall decrease in the previous Grand List total of $120,010.
The 2014 Errors and Omissions Report was approved by the Brattleboro Selectboard.
West Brattleboro Fire Station
During the Great Police-Fire Panic of the spring of ‘14, the Brattleboro Selectboard asked for information about the finances and operational value of Station 2, the West Brattleboro Fire Station. Was it needed? If it was eliminated would insurance costs change for homeowners?
David Gartenstein began by telling those in the room that there were no plans to close the station, and that the board was simply getting “concrete information to help us know if we should even think about closing it.”
Brattleboro Fire Chief Mike Bucossi and Patrick Moreland responded to the request, rather conclusively reporting back that the station provides great value at relatively low cost.
Chief Bucossi told the board that West Brattleboro has had a station since 1946, and the current station was built in 1960. A second floor was added in 1977.
He told the board that West Brattleboro, due to the number of residential occupancies, represents the greatest concentration of our “highest life hazard,” that includes children, older adults, and mobile homes. “Brattleboro has six fire districts,” he told them. “The west district is second busiest in town.”
Station 2 currently serves three schools, three elderly housing projects, two mobile home parks, Westgate Apartments, West Brook Court, Carriage Hill, Sherwood Circle, and other West Brattleboro locations. In recent years, the Brattleboro Fire Department responded to about 500 calls per year in the west district.
“If closed, a huge portion of town will be left without a five minute response time,” said Bucossi.
He said it costs taxpayers a little more than $12,000 a year to operate the station, excluding staff. (Staff requirements are independent of the number of stations the town operates.)
Bucossi said Station 2 plays an important part in emergency planning for the overall town, and is critical for maintaining good response times to West Brattleboro. Eliminating the station could increase response times by 3-4 minutes or more from Central Station, he said. Those minutes could mean the difference between life and death. “Fire doubles in size every minute,” he told them, and the duty of firefighters at Station 2 is primarily search and rescue until the others arrive on scene.
Survival of cardiac arrest patients in West Brattleboro could decrease by 20% or greater, he said, without a response from Station 2. Chances of survival also decrease with every minute that passes.
Bucossi said that the savings to taxpayers by closing the station would be about $1 per $100,000 value of a home. A homeowner with a $250,000 home might save $2.50 a year by closing the station.
The tax savings, Chief Bucossi stated, are not worth the vast reduction in public safety and response times, nor the increase in insurance rates. Closing the station would conflict with the mission to provide the best possible services, and Brattleboro will fail to meet national safety standards.
“We strongly urge that it stay open,” he told the board.
Patrick Moreland said that it was hard to estimate individual impacts on insurance rates because policies depend in part on past use of insurance, credit history, and other factors.
Moreland said Brattleboro’s level of fire service is determined by a survey by the Insurance Services Organization (ISO), and we are currently rated 3/3Y, which means being within five road miles of a fire station and within 1000 feet of a water source.
“Our rating is topped by only 810 departments nationwide,” Bucossi said. Out of nearly 50,000 fire departments across the country , only 810 had better ratings than Brattleboro in 2014.
There is another assessment, called a Public Protection Class, that takes into account communications systems, equipment, staff, station locations, water system, and building codes.
Moreland said Brattleboro’s staffing levels are similar to those of other Vermont towns our size.
He said Brattleboro’s overall ISO rating would remain the same if Station 2 were to close, but that individual property ratings may change. Impacted rate payers could see a 30% increase in insurance costs according to some insurance agents’ estimates.
Moreland said closing the station would mean rate increases would be likely for property owners on Akley Road, Ames Hill Road, Barrows Road, Bear Hill, Goodenough, Gulf Road, Halladay Brook Road, Hamilton Road, Hescock Road, Hinesburg Road, Kelly, Lee Road, Levi Howard Road, Marlboro Road, Melchen Road, Nichols Road, Olson Road, Red Oak Road, Stark Road, Sunset Lake, Waubanong Road, and Wickopee Hill Road.
He reiterated that about $240,000 was needed for remedial repairs on the station, and that a new station is expected to cost $1.2 million. “Minimum station improvements don’t cover the deferred maintenance,” he cautioned. “We need to invest in facilities from time to time.”
Gartenstein repeated that there were no actual plans to close the station, and this was purely informational, despite newspaper headlines to the contrary.
John Allen said he appreciated the information, as he was one of those wanting to know if there would be savings by closing the station. “I’ve been enlightened about how much Station 2 is appreciated. It would be easier to close Academy School,” he joked, adding more seriously, “We have to get these buildings renovated as soon as possible.”
Donna Macomber was appreciative of the report. “Any of us can now speak to how essential it is to keep it open. It helps everybody understand that we need to move forward on it.”
Kate O’Connor asked what would happen to the truck, and staff, if Station 2 was closed. Bucossi said he hoped they’d move staff downtown, and would have to create space at the Central facility for additional trucks.
A few West Brattleboro residents spoke in favor of keeping the station. One, Ron Pickering, has a petition signed by 303 residents.
Former Fire Chief David Emory said he had helped to build the second floor addition, and can certify that only one carpenter was advising the volunteers on the job. He said there were probably bottles and cans in the walls, and that the “station” was built as a garage. he said that instead of talk of closing it, the discussion should be about adding a third station on Putney Road.
FY16 Budget Discussion
David Gartenstein gave the public an overview of the FY16 municipal budget process thus far.
He said that the current draft shows a number of just about $15.4 million for a level-service, level-funded budget. “A budget that moves forward the status quo and leaves services essentially the same.”
It was accomplished by the move to Pay As You Throw, with the cost of trash being removed from the municipal budget and taxes and shifted to the pocketbooks of people in town who throw things out.
Otherwise, line items have been tweaked a bit here and there, but everything remains “pretty much stable” except for rising wages due to labor agreements, “and that takes up the money we’ll be bringing in from Pay As You Throw.”
The remaining question is whether to use some of the unassigned fund balance (our surplus) to add more in to the budget, such as police cruisers, dump trucks, graders, paving, or sidewalk repair, to name but a few of the town needs.
Patrick Moreland said repairs to the Municipal Center would come to about $450,000, and that could be put into the budget or taken from the unassigned fund, “but there are other needs for the town.”
Dick Degray said that the board should ponder whether to move out of the Municipal Center into less expensive quarters downtown. “This building is a black hole,” he said of the cost of heating, cooling, and repairs. He urged them to discuss it before committing to $450,000 in repairs.
He said the same should go for the pool, which currently leaks about 750,000 gallons of water each year. “It costs a lot to keep it open two months a year,” he said. if Station 2 is on the table, everything is on the table.
Energy Committee Annual Report
Chair Lester Humphreys, Paul Cameron, and Jason Cooper presented the report of the Energy Committee to the Brattleboro Selectboard, providing some trends they’ve noticed as well as a report on projects they’ve undertaken and plans for the future. They also gave the board a suggestion for better long-term municipal budget planning.
Recent accomplishments include a conversion of street lights to LED’s, saving $81,225 annually, plus detailed data gathering and energy analysis of town buildings and operations. The group is keeping a watchful eye over all energy-related costs for the town.
Cameron reported that one negative trend was an increase in costs related to waste water treatment. He said they’d be working to bring costs down.
Humphreys said other trends include a leveling off of fuel costs by type, and a rise in CO2 emissions.
Cooper noted they had worked a deal to buy solar energy from a site in Westminster. “We’ll be buying half of the town’s power through a solar farm starting December 12,” he said.
The committee has also worked on the installation of electric car charging stations and started a Smart Commute program with larger employers in town.
Gartenstein asked that they work out a way for the town to be compensated for the charging of cars. Cooper said the cost is about equal to the parking fee. Nonetheless, Gartenstein asked that covering the cost is followed through on.
The biggest suggestion, however, was that the town use a new approach when planning big capital projects.
Humphreys said the committee recommends incorporating life-cycle operating cost analysis into all town capital projects. This would include the cost of the project, plus tax rate impacts, bond payments, operating expenses, and maintenance expense. The true cost is the sum of those items,” he told the board.
“Many energy improvements decrease operating expenses more than they increase project costs,” he continued. He said doing the calculations up front should be done so lowest real impact to taxpayer can be examined.
John Wilmerding asked if the town was still paying to heat a room being cooled at the waste water treatment facility. Humphreys said it hasn’t changed, but that they are looking at ways to solve the problem, such as building a room inside a room.
Wilmerding asked if similar energy analysis was being done for the schools. The committee told him they worked for the Selectboard.
The board was quickly convinced of the value of the resolution, and David Schoales moved to adopt their recommendation. The board, however, decided to table the issue to their next meeting to have time to work out specifics of the wording and procedures.
Brattleboro Climate Protection Town Meeting Article
Brattleboro Climate Protection asked for their annual article on the Town Meeting agenda, to request $10,000 toward funding its work.
Paul Cameron said that Brattleboro Climate Protection (ie, he) helps cut energy costs, reducing municipal fuel and electricity consumption and saving taxpayers money. Funding his work helps the town qualify for grants and other contributions, he said.
Lester Humphreys said that Cameron was “an amazing asset to their committee.”
The Brattleboro Selectboard agreed and approved the request to put it on the agenda, the first item to be granted such a status for the next meeting.
Downtown Alliance (AFKABABB) Work Plan, Budget, Town Meeting Article
The President of the Board of Directors for the Alliance Formerly Known As Building a Better Brattleboro (AFKABABB), now the Downtown Alliance, gave the Brattleboro Selectboard an overview of the organization’s work over the last year and a look into their plans for the future, and budget, at Tuesday’s meeting.
Kate O’Connor recused herself, for her role as the Director of the Chamber of Commerce.
Matt Livingston of Downtown Alliance reported that the year had been one of transition. They moved from the River Garden and have refocused on being “conservators and promoters of the Downtown Improvement District,” which translated into flowers and holiday lights this year while the board reconstituted itself.
With a renewed board and committee structure, Downtown Alliance plans to hire a new staff member. As in previous years, the budget remains tight and projects with low investment and high return will take priority. He said the part time position would be $25,000, $41,500 were for fixed costs, and the rest would go to committee work.
The organization is funded through the Downtown Improvement District, a levy on property owners in the downtown area. Downtown Alliance is requesting $78,000 for the coming year from the district.
John Allen asked why the organization was needed if volunteers do all the work anyway.
Livingston said that historically the organization hadn’t done a good job of reaching out to members. He said merchant perspectives have changed. “We’re specific to downtown. It’s the heart of Brattleboro. Our job is to make sure people are interested.”
Dick Degray, a former critic, was now on the board and testified to it’s new worthiness. “When the administration took an interest, the organization started to improve.,” stressing the importance of partnering with the town.
David Gartenstein said that there had been hard work to improve the organization with support from the town in the last year, along with efforts to keep the structure in place to remain eligible for grants. He said the work plan, calling for flowers, holiday lights, outreach to distant cities, renewed calls for business incubators, and other efforts “looks totally different today” with a different relationship, functioning the way it should.
John Allen asked about the article placement work item. Livingston said that “the idea is to engage a media marketing company to write good things about Brattleboro. Find something good to write about, and engage a professional agency to place it.”
“So you are brining someone…” said Allen.
“It’s a real business,” said Livingston.
David Schoales asked who they planned to attract with the articles. Livingston said tourists, and then perhaps people who want to then move here.
Downtown Alliance plans to partner with others on their business incubator idea.
Alex Gyori said that this was the first really consistent effort he had been a part of to revitalize downtown.
The Selectboard voted to accept the workplan, budget and place it all on the Town Meeting Agenda.
Restorative Reintegration Grant
The Brattleboro Community Justice Center received a grant of $30,000 from the Vermont Department of Corrections to be used to support restorative reintegration services for moderate to high risk offenders. It’s from a program called the 2015 2nd Chance Grant.
Larry Hames said that it was part of the town’s innovative alternative to the criminal justice system. he said everyone, with perhaps the exception of mass murders, gets our of prison and the question becomes, how do we accept them back. “By having them live under a bridge” he asked,” or do we watch and help them?”
He said the COSA (Circle of Support and Accountability) was “cutting edge re-entry work being done, with good results being seen.”
Chapman Agenda Item Consideration
Years ago, the Selectboard chair and vice-chair would set the agenda for the meeting. If they didn’t want something on the agenda, it wasn’t put there, and the issue silently went away. Other board members were sometimes unaware of items that had been rejected for discussion.
That changed a few years ago, with new rules. Now, if the chair and vice-chair decide that something won’t be on the agenda, other board members are alerted to the item being passed over for consideration. They can see what was rejected, and if they so decide, vote to have the issue put on the agenda despite the opinion of their agenda-setters.
In this case before them Tuesday evening, David Gartenstein explained, a request for a repeat presentation by Chris Chapman on the subject of town fundraising was considered and passed over for lack of specificity, and other board members were made aware of the decision.
David Schoales had asked that the board reconsider this decision, and requested that Mr. Chapman’s presentation be placed on the agenda for their next meeting.
Gartenstein said Chapman had emailed them, being critical of the board for not putting him back on the agenda again. “We considered this a request to be on the agenda.” He said the proposal was less specific than his previous proposal and now called for a resolution endorsing a request to taxpayers to pay more than what they owe. “I don’t want the spectacle of voting on that,” he said. “If there is something specific, I’m happy to consider it.”
Kate O’Connor agreed. “There was nothing new. It was even less specific. It’s a less specific proposal. It’s not ready for prime time.”
Schoales felt that the only way to know that would be to have Chapman come and do his presentation. “You are guessing as to his intentions,” he said.
Gartenstein said the wording was taken directly from Chapman’s emails.
Donna Macomber was on the fence, seeing value of avoiding public spectacle, but wanting to show respect for someone working for the interests of the town.
John Allen didn’t agree that the town should be asking for money like Chapman suggested. “I don’t want to be begging for money, or make a spectacle out of it.” He said he was glad the issue was brought up, even if he agreed it didn’t belong on a future agenda.
Macomber suggested explaining to Chapman why the request wasn’t granted, with appreciation for his efforts.
John Wilmerding invited Chapman to join him in creating a foundation for the town. It would get charitable, tax-deductible donations and apply them to specific projects. “I’d be happy to work with Chris on that.”
In the end, the board didn’t vote one way or the other, letting the issue pass away on its own. For now, at least.
