Camera options for the parking garage will be up for discussion at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The Interim Town Manager has some preliminary cost estimates for them to review.
The board will hear from SeVEDS, get an update on EMS services, pass those bike ordinance changes, buy winter fuel, talk about ARPA fund spending rules, and consider a 6.7% increase in health insurance premiums. They’ll also kick off FY24 budget season with a look at revenue and expenses in the General Fund. Quite possibly they’ll talk of postponing some of these items when the meeting runs on too long. You can make the meeting longer by bringing up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 5:30pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Selectboard will reconvene the business part of the meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center at 230 Main Street. The public may also participate in the meeting over Zoom. 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.
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, NOVEMBER 1, 2022
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM + ZOOM
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:30PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
The physical location for this meeting will be the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center at
230 Main Street.
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
or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers
for locations around the world using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA
The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv
AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES –October 11, October 17, October 18, October 19, 2022
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Declaration of Inclusion – Possible Modification
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Brattleboro Code of Ordinances Chapter 4, Proposed Changes – Second Reading and Possible Adoption
9. NEW BUSINESS
A. FEMA Grant for 250 Birge Street Floodplain Restoration – Accept and Appropriate $835,104.70 Grant
B. BDCC/SeVEDS – Annual Update and Funding Request
C. EMS Update
D. Brattleboro Transportation Center and Other Downtown Camera Options – Discussion
E. FY24 Annual General Fund Budget – Overview and Revenue Discussion
F. ARPA Funds – Discussion
G. Health Insurance Program – Renewal for Calendar Year 2023
H. FY24 Winter Fuel Oil – Ratify Bid
I. Committee Appointments
10. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
11. MEETINGS
See Town Calendar
12. ADJOURNMENT
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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: Patrick Moreland, Interim Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: October 28, 2022
—————————————————————————————
The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. The Board will convene the meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting
Room and on Zoom.
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
or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers
for locations around the world using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA
The meeting will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Declaration of Inclusion – Possible Modification
The Selectboard adopted the Declaration of Inclusion at its September 20, 2022 Regular Meeting. After receiving some community feedback, the Board is asked to modify the document to be more inclusive.
b
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Brattleboro Code of Ordinances Chapter 4, Proposed Changes – Second Reading and Possible Adoption
In a memorandum dated October 12, 2022 Planning Director Sue Fillion discusses the proposed changes to Chapter 4 Bicycles, Article I General and Article II Operation of the Battleboro Code of Ordinances. Fillion explains that the ordinance has not been reviewed in roughly twenty years. Alice Charkes of the Traffic Safety Committee and Police Chief Norma Hardy have reviewed the proposed changes. The Board is asked to review the proposed changes and to possibly adopt these ordinance changes.
POSSIBLE MOTION: TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE CHANGES FOR CHAPTER FOUR BICYCLES, ARTICLE I GENERAL AND ARTICLE II OPERATION IN THE BRATTLEBORO CODE OF ORDINANCES.
9. NEW BUSINESS
B. FEMA Grant for 250 Birge Street Floodplain Restoration – Accept and Appropriate $835,104.70 Grant
In a memorandum dated October 25, 2022, Planning Director Sue Fillion requests that the Selectboard accept and appropriate a $835,104.70 FEMA Grant for the 250 Birge Street Floodplain Restoration Project. The primary objective of this project is to restore the natural floodplain function of the property. The grant covers 75% of the Federal share of the $1,113,472.93 project. The Vermont Emergency Management’s Flood Resilient Communities Fund will cover the 25% local share. This project will require no Town funds.
POSSIBLE MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A GRANT OF $835,104.70 FROM THE FEMA HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM FOR THE 250 BIRGE STREET FLOOD RESTORATION PROJECT.
C. BDCC/SeVEDS – Annual Update and Funding Request
Representatives of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) will present BDCC’s annual request for a Town funding contribution to the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS). The Selectboard’s backup materials include a letter dated July 1, 2022, in which BDCC Executive Director Adam Grinold asks the Selectboard to include $36,147 for SeVEDS in the Town’s FY24 General Fund budget. The Town’s past practice on this matter has been to include an item on the warning for Representative Town Meeting to decide whether to make such a contribution from Program Income (not through the General Fund budget). Included in the Board’s materials is also a letter from Laura Sibilia the Director of Regional Economic Development Strategies, informing the Board about SeVEDS ongoing work to seek federal designation as a federally recognized Economic Development District (EDD). She also requests a letter of support to help SeVEDS pursue EDD designation.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE WARNING FOR THE 2023 REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING TO ALLOCATE $36,147 OF PROGRAM INCOME TO SEVEDS IN FY24 AND TO PROVIDE A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO HELP SEVEDS PURSUE A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT STATUS.
D. EMS Update
Representatives from the Brattleboro Fire Department will be in the meeting to discuss various aspects of EMS service. Included in the Board’s supporting documents is an EMS update dated October 25, 2022 provided by Assistant Fire Chief Chuck Keir.
POSSIBLE MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
E. Brattleboro Transportation Center and Other Downtown Camera Options – Discussion
In a memorandum dated Oct 28, 2022 Interim Town Manger discusses the history of the Brattleboro Transportation Center as well as some safety concerns the public and other entities have expressed regarding safety downtown and in the BTC. Moreland discusses some estimates he’s received regarding purchasing and installing cameras and budget options.
POSSIBLE MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
F. FY24 Annual General Fund Budget – Overview and Revenue Discussion
Interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland will present aspects of the FY24 General Fund Budget. The materials for the budget will not be available until Tuesday, November 1, 2022.
POSSIBLE MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
G. ARPA Funds – Discussion
The Board is asked to engage in a discussion on possible projects and procedures to develop regarding the distribution of the Town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
POSSIBLE MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
H. Health Insurance Program – Renewal for Calendar Year 2023
In a memorandum dated October 25, 2022 Finance Director Kimberly Frost discusses some of the factors impacting health insurance prices. After discussing options for employee health insurance renewal with staff and participating unions, the Town concluded that the best option is a 6.7% increase in premiums that disrupts little in the way of coverage.
POSSIBLE MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH BCBS FOR THE 2023 RENEWAL THAT INCLUDES A 6.7% INCREASE TO PREMIUMS.
I. FY24 Winter Fuel Oil – Ratify Bid
In a memorandum dated October 26, 2022, Interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland explains that the Town and the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union opened publicly solicited bids for 130,000 gallons of No.2 heating fuel oil (60,000 gallons for WSSU and 70,000 gallons for the Town). He also explains that due to uncertainty in the oil markets the price before the Board for FY24 winter fuel oil was subject to change after only a day’s time and so the Town and WSSD needed to agree to the low bid before the next Selectboard Meeting. The Board is asked to ratify the Interim Town Manager’s decision to accept the low bid from Barrows and Fisher Oil for the per gallon price of $4.409 for FY23 #2 fuel oil.
POSSIBLE MOTION: RATIFY THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER’S DECISION TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID FROM BARROWS AND FISHER OIL FOR THE PER GALLON PRICE OF $4.409 FOR FY23 #2 FUEL OIL.
J. Committee Appointments
The Board is asked to consider possible appointments to the Agricultural Advisory Board, the Design Review Committee (alternate position) and the Traffic Safety Committee (citizen’s representative).
POSSIBLE MOTION: TBA
