Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 17, 2017

Brattleboro will be renting a “substantial portion” of Municipal Center to the State of Vermont.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will also take up grants for the skatepark, a revised Long Term Financial Plan, a first reading of a ban of single-use plastic bags, energy matters including an update on the Energy Coordinator position, a temporary ladder truck, and more. You can bring up other matters not on the agenda if you want, during public participation.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 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 contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, and the negotiating or a real estate lease. The Board will reconvene the business meeting 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
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251-8100

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL CENTER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:45PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – October 3
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 – None
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

A. Police-Fire Facilities Project – Update
B. Panhandling – Informational Sign (deferred from September 19 and October 3 meetings)

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Municipal Center Rental and Improvements – State of Vermont’s Letter of Intent
B. Financial Report – Monthly Report, September
C. FY17 Year-End Financial Report – Final But Unaudited
D. Long Term Financial Plan – Update for FY19-FY23
E. Winter Sand for 2017-2018 Season – Award Bid, Department of Public Works
F. Recommendation for Interim Replacement of Aerial Ladder Truck – Fire Department
G. Gibson Aiken Center Window Replacement – Plan for Completion of Multi-Year Project
H. State Farm Good Neighbor Grant – Approve Grant Application Recreation & Parks Department for BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming)
I. Tarrant Foundation Grant – Approve Grant Application Recreation & Parks Department for BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming)
J. Ordinance to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags – First Reading
K. Energy Conservation Matters – (i) Energy Committee’s Annual Report (ii) Energy Committee’s Downtown Brattleboro Building Energy Program
(iii) Staff Report re: Potential Full-Time Energy Coordinator or Sustainability Officer
L. Employee Health Insurance Program — Renewal for Calendar Year 2018
M. Reschedule or Relocate First November Selectboard Meeting

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports

12. MEETINGS

See enclosed Town Calendar

13. ADJOURNMENT

MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: Peter B. Elwell, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: October 13, 2017

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The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. The Board will meet in executive session at 5:45pm to discuss contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, and the negotiating of a real estate lease. The Board will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room.

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS – None

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

A. Police-Fire Facilities Project – Update Town Manager Elwell will provide an update on the progress of construction at the Central Fire Station and on the progress of demolition at the old West Brattleboro Fire Station. He also will discuss the financial report that is included in his memorandum dated October 13, 2017.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

B. Panhandling – Informational Sign (deferred from September 19 and October 3 meetings) The draft sign that was presented to the Board at the last meeting is included in the back-up materials, along with an alternative draft sign containing modifications made after staff received additional comments from the public. The modifications are intended to reflect direction provided by the Selectboard during discussion of this matter at the past 3 Selectboard meetings. The Board is asked to review the draft signs and decide whether or not to post one on the Town’s parking system pay stations.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Municipal Center Rental and Improvements – State of Vermont’s Letter of Intent The State of Vermont has shown interest in renting a substantial portion of the Municipal Center for State offices. Christopher Cole, Commissioner of Buildings and General Services for the State of Vermont, executed a “Letter of Intent to Lease Space in the Brattleboro Municipal Center” and the Board is asked to authorize Town Manager Elwell to execute the Letter of Intent on behalf of the Town.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE TOWN MANAGER ELWELL TO EXECUTE THE “LETTER OF INTENT TO LEASE SPACE IN THE BRATTLEBORO MUNICIPAL CENTER” AND TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE STATE OF VERMONT REGARDING SPECIFIC TERMS OF A LEASE.

B. Financial Report – Monthly Report, September Finance Director John O’Connor will present the September 2017 financial report.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

C. FY17 Year-End Financial Report – Final But Unaudited Town Manager Elwell and Finance Director O’Connor will summarize the final report of revenues and expenditures for FY17, as set forth in Finance Director O’Connor’s memorandum dated September 8, 2017 (with attachments).

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

D. Long Term Financial Plan – Update for FY19-FY23 Town Manager Elwell will summarize the updated Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) and will discuss it with the Selectboard in preparation for the upcoming FY19 Budget process.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

E. Winter Sand for 2017-2018 Season – Award Bid, Department of Public Works The Board is asked to award the bid for winter sand for the 2017-2018 winter season to Zaluzny Excavating, from Vernon, Vermont, in the amount of $8.70 per cubic yard delivered by Zaluzny Excavating, as set forth in the memorandum dated October 4, 2017, from Public Works Director Steve Barrett.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD THE BID FOR WINTER SAND FOR THE 2017-2018 WINTER SEASON TO ZALUZNY EXCAVATING, IN THE AMOUNT OF $8.70 PER CUBIC YARD.

F. Recommendation for Interim Replacement of Ladder Truck – Fire Department The Board is asked to approve staff’s recommendation to purchase a 1993 aerial ladder truck from Minuteman Fire and Rescue Apparatus, Inc., of Walpole, Massachusetts, for $35,000. This will replace the Town’s 1991 aerial ladder truck, which requires more than $67,800 worth of repairs and is in substantially worse condition than the 1993 vehicle staff proposes to buy. The details of this matter are set forth in a memorandum dated September 28, 2017, from Fire Chief Mike Bucossi and Assistant Fire Chief Leonard Howard.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE (1) TRANSFER OF $35,000 TO THE CAPITAL FUND FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATING ACCOUNTS IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND (2) EXPENDITURE OF $35,000 FROM THE CAPITAL FUND TO PURCHASE A 1993 105-FOOT AERIAL LADDER TRUCK FROM MINUTEMAN FIRE AND RESCUE APPARATUS, INC., OF WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

G. Gibson Aiken Center Window Replacement – Plan for Completion of Multi-Year Project At the completion of Phase 3 of the Gibson Aiken Center Window Replacement Project, all but 14 windows will have been replaced. The Board is asked to approve a quote of $11,200 to Vermont Vinyl to replace the remaining 14 windows located in the GibsonAiken Senior Center. As set forth in the memorandum, dated October 6, 2017, from Recreation & Parks Director Carol Lolatte, if the Board approves this expenditure, a $30,000 allocation for window replacement would be cut from the 2018/2019 Capital Budget.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A QUOTE OF $11,200 TO VERMONT VINYL TO REPLACE THE REMAINING 14 WINDOWS LOCATED IN THE GIBSON AIKEN SENIOR CENTER.

H. State Farm Good Neighbor Grant – Approve Grant Application Recreation & Parks Department for BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming) The Board is asked to approve the application by Recreation & Parks Department on behalf of BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming) for a $20,000 Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grant from State Farm to help pay for design and construction of a Skatepark located at Living Memorial Park.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION BY RECREATION & PARKS DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF BASIC (BRATTLEBORO AREA SKATEPARK IS COMING) FOR A $20,000 GOOD NEIGHBOR CITIZENSHIP COMPANY GRANT FROM STATE FARM.

I. Tarrant Foundation Grant – Approve Grant Application Recreation & Parks Department for BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming) The Board is asked to approve the application by Recreation & Parks Department on behalf of BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming) for a $50,000 Tarrant Foundation Grant to help pay for design and construction of a Skatepark located at Living Memorial Park.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION BY RECREATION & PARKS DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF BASIC (BRATTLEBORO AREA SKATEPARK IS COMING) FOR A $50,000 GRANT FROM THE RICHARD E. AND DEBORAH L. TARRANT FOUNDATION.

J. Ordinance to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags – First Reading The Board is asked to hold a first reading on a proposed ordinance to ban single-use plastic bags. At a previous Selectboard meeting, the Board indicated a preference that the definition of a single-use plastic bag would be those bags whose thickness is less than 1.0 mil. If the Board substantially approves the proposed ordinance, it would hold a second reading and public hearing on the matter at its next meeting.

NO MOTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

K. Energy Conservation Matters – (i) Energy Committee’s Annual Report (ii) Energy Committee’s Downtown Brattleboro Building Energy Program (iii) Staff Report re: Potential Full-Time Energy Coordinator or Sustainability Officer

(i) Members from the Energy Committee will present the committee’s Annual Report.
(ii) The committee also will ask the Board to endorse the Downtown Brattleboro Building Energy Program (DBBEP). Since the committee first presented the DBBEP to the Board, letters of support from the State’s Department of Housing and Community Development and from Efficiency Vermont have been received (and included in the Selectboard’s notebooks).
(iii) The Energy Committee has asked the Board to consider whether to increase the investment in the Town’s Energy Coordinator and/or establishing a Sustainability Officer position. Assistant Town Manager Moreland conducted considerable research on the matter and submitted his report in a memorandum dated October 11, 2017.

POTENTIAL MOTION(S): TBD

L. Employee Health Insurance Program — Renewal for Calendar Year 2018 The Board is asked to approve changes to the Town’s health insurance program that would increase the deductible for employees to $3,500 for single coverage and $7,000 for family coverage while the Town would continue to pay for all claims in the space above $1,500 for single coverage and $3,000 for family coverage (up to the new deductible levels, above which all claims would be paid by Blue Cross). The proposed changes will provide savings to the Town’s taxpayers (as compared to a straight renewal of the existing program) without reducing the value of the benefit provided to Town employees, as set forth in the memorandum dated September 25, 2017, from Assistant Town Manager Moreland.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE CHANGES TO THE TOWN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2018, AS PRESENTED.

M. Reschedule the First November Selectboard Meeting – The Board is asked to decide whether to hold the “first November” Selectboard meeting on October 31 (in the Selectboard Meeting Room), November 7 (in the Library’s meeting room), or November 8 (in the Selectboard Meeting Room).

POTENTIAL ACTION – TBD