Weathersfield Select Board

Minutes

August 19, 2010

Present: Henry "Chip" Cobb

Norman John Arrison

Glenn Fisher

Gordon Eglintine

Dave Fuller

Others Present: Jim Mullen, Town Manager

Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary

Wes Hazeltine, Highway Superintendent

Edith Stillson

deForest Bearse, Zoning Administrator

Julia Lloyd Wright

Patricia Daniels

Keith Graham

Debbie Graham

Greg Smist

Mike Todd

Jay Stevens

Peter Korbet

Jeff Spurr

Linda Spurr

1. Call to Order: Mr. Fisher called the Weathersfield Select Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Bow Baptist Church.

2. Comments from Citizens and Select Board: Mr. Korbet provided photos to the Board to go with the letter he sent to them dated July 15^th pertaining to the Weathersfield Veterans Memorial Monument.

Mr. Arrison said next year marks the 250^th Anniversary for the Town and in the near future there will be information going out about a committee to be formed to help celebrate the event.

3. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting(s): Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the minutes dated August 5, 2010, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion. Corrections were noted. Motion carried 4 - 0 with one abstention.

4. Weathersfield Bow Association, Jay Stevens: Mr. Stevens said the Bow Association is very informal and they meet about once a year. He said any resident of the Bow can join if they wish. He said they pay taxes each year for the pond area and they are not in a position to continue to do this so they are looking for what options are available to help with taxes. Mr. Stevens said he knows it's an option to give the land up to the Town but wondered if there were other options. It was said that the Bow Church mows the area and the residents in the Bow keep the area picked up as needed.

Mr. Fuller said they could pursue the Board of Abatement or put it on the Warning at Town Meeting. Mr. Fuller asked if it had been surveyed, Mr. Stevens said yes. It was said that the land consisted of a couple acres but then Mr. Fuller noted the tax record states 4. 63 acres.

Mr. Mullen said he has a copy of the deed from 1955 and feels that the Association should ask for it to go on the Warning to ask the Taxpayers for $285 a year and then if that passes the Association could turn the money back to the Town to pay for the taxes. Mr. Mullen mentioned that he feels there is a large liability risk right now for the Association and its Officers so he told Mr. Stevens they may want to give it to the Town so they don't have that exposure.

Mr. Arrison mentioned they could consider giving it to the Church. (The Church is tax exempt).

Mr. Cobb told Mr. Stevens before he considers abating the taxes he should be sure he meets the criteria as there are limited reasons that allow you to abate taxes. It was mentioned that they could re-incorporate as a non profit and then they could be tax exempt.

Ms. Lloyd Wright said maybe it could be given to the Parks and Rec department.

The discussion ended by the Select Board saying that the Bow Association has to decide how it wants to proceed, the Select Board can not make this decision for them.

5. Review Town Owned Property List: Mr. Mullen said the list is not complete and it will take a lot of work to complete. He said he went to the Lister's and gathered some information but the map has already changed three times and it still isn't accurate. Mr. Mullen said the cemeteries are not on the map and the deeds he looked at have restrictions. Mr. Arrison said we should think about getting rid of some of the land we own.

6. School Zone Signs, Safe Routes to School Travel Plan: Mrs. Bearse gave a memo to the Board that listed three action items she would like the Board to approve - mark a pedestrian lane with a white dashed painted line, install School Zone signs along Schoolhouse Rd and install advisory 15 m.p.h. speed limit signs along Schoolhouse Road.

Mr. Todd asked if the white line would be just on one side, Mrs. Bearse said yes. Mr. Arrison asked if this would be paid for through a Grant. Mrs. Bearse said the Grant is for the radar sign that will be on Route 5, this expense would be paid for with Town funds. Mr. Hazeltine said he thinks the school is paying for the paint.

Mr. Korbet asked the widths. Mrs. Bearse said the walking lane would be 3 1/2 feet which would leave 18 ½ feet of road.

Mr. Cobb asked if the Town assumes liability by designating a walk area, Mrs. Bearse said she doesn't know. Mr. Cobb asked if 3 ½ feet was wide enough for handicap, Mr. Mullen said yes.

Mr. Fisher asked if this would be ok with snow removal, Mr. Hazeltine said yes.

Mr. Arrison made the motion to authorize the Highway Department to establish a pedestrian lane with a white, dashed painted line along Schoolhouse Road, install School Zone signs along Schoolhouse Road and install advisory 15 m.p.h. speed limit signs along Schoolhouse Road. Mr. Cobb seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

7. Old Business

A. Delinquent Property Tax Sale Date: Mr. Mullen said there will be a tax sale at 10:00 am on September 30, 2010 at Martin Memorial Hall. He said the lists are posted throughout Town and there are sixteen properties on the list at this time. He said the lists will be posted in the Valley News during the required time frame.

8. New Business

A. Highway

1. Request for Proposals/Bid Awards -Dry Hydrant on Drumlin Road: Mr. Mullen said there was a mandatory meeting on Monday which was attended by three contractors but only two bids were received. Mr. Mullen said both bidders have experience with dry hydrants but he recommends awarding the bid to Jarvis & Son's Construction as they came in less than Waters Excavation.

Mr. Fuller made the motion to award the bid to Jarvis & Sons Inc for $4,228.41 for the installation of a dry hydrant at the end of Drumlin Road, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion.

Mrs. Daniels said we have a grant for $2,500 with a 20% match that will be used towards this and money in the dry hydrant reserve fund to pay the balance.

Motion carried unanimously.

2. Sign Amendment #2 Stoughton Pond Road Rehabilitation Project: Mr. Mullen said this is a routine continuation of the old Grant. Mr. Arrison asked if we are still waiting for the funds. Mr. Mullen said yes, they still have not obligated the funds.

Mr. Arrison made the motion to sign the amendment to Contract No. CA0122, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion.

Mr. Fuller asked if the figure on the amendment, $318,967 is what is available. Mr. Mullen said that is what is available at this time. He said if the money isn't obligated soon we will have to wait until the Spring to complete this project.

Motion carried unanimously.

3. Sale of Used Police Vehicle - Mr. Mullen said this shouldn't be on the agenda.

B. Policies/Resolutions

1. Purchasing Card(s) Resolution: Mr. Mullen said in order for staff to purchase on line the Treasurer recommends a purchasing card so they are looking to obtain one in the name of the Treasurer and one in the name of the Town Manager. One will have a limit of $1500 and the other a limit of $1000.

Mr. Arrison made the motion to authorize the Clerk to sign for the Treasurer and Town Manager to have purchasing cards, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion.

Mr. Cobb said he would like to see a short policy on how they are used, who uses them and how they will be paid at the next meeting. Motion carried unanimously.

2. Amend Policy Regarding Class IV Town Highways (Second Reading): Mr. Arrison made the motion to move to the third reading with the revisions that were made, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion.

Mr. Fuller asked what happens if someone got hurt. Mrs. Bearse said she assumes liability would be the same as it is now for neighbors on Class IV roads that do maintenance. Mr. Cobb said he thinks this question should go to our insurance carrier for an answer and be addressed again at the next reading.

Motion carried unanimously.

C. Solid Waste Management Budget: Mr. Fisher said the Board learned two weeks ago that we have a short fall in the Solid Waste Budget so we need to address that. Mr. Mullen said nationwide income to run facilities has decreased. He said our expenses were budgeted at $239,000 and actual was $253,000. He said our revenue was budgeted at $269,000 and actual was $218,000. Mr. Mullen said the first thing that has to be done is to raise our revenues and he thinks we should raise the punch cards from $7.50 to $9.00 immediately. He noted the Town of Rockingham charges $2.50 per punch and Town of Hartford charges $4.00 per punch. Mr. Arrison said at the last meeting he didn't think the answer was to increase the punch ticket prices but he has changed his mind and agrees the price of the punch card should be increased.

Mr. Fuller asked if tonnage and recycling was the same. Mr. Hazeltine said recyclables are up and costing us money.

Mr. Fisher asked Mr. Mullen to provide the Board with information on the trend for the last five years.

9. Errors and Omissions, Weathersfield Listers: Mr. Mullen said most of these adjustments are for mobile homes. Mr. Cobb made the motion to adjust the Grand List per the Lister's memo. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

10. Monthly Reports

-Constable: Report submitted. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Mullen to have the Constable attend the next meeting.

- Southern Windsor//Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District: Report submitted.

11. Zoning Board of Adjustment Resignation, Westley W. Hazeltine: Mr. Cobb made the motion to accept the resignation from Mr. Hazeltine with thanks for serving on the Board. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

12. Appointments:

(xiii) Weathersfield Zoning Board of Adjustment, Debbie Graham: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mrs. Graham to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion. Mr. Mullen noted she is now an alternate so that position will be open.

Mrs. Daniels asked if this vacant position was advertised or does the alternate automatically get the position. Mr. Fuller said Mrs. Graham put her name in for the regular position a few months ago and was told to serve as an alternate first. Mrs. Graham reminded the Board that there can be three to nine members.

It was noted that it is policy to advertise the position for two weeks and Mr. Mullen said he takes responsibility for putting this on the Agenda too quick, he should have told Mrs. Graham it would be on two weeks from now.

After further discussion Mr. Arrison called the question and the motion carried 5 - 0.

13. Sign Treasurer's Warrants: Mr. Cobb made the motion to approve the Treasurer's Warrants as follows:

General Fund Payroll $15,866.356

General Fund Operating Expense $26,473.34

Highway Fund Payroll $14,716.78

Highway Fund Operating Expense $12,606.07

Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 2,405.46

Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 2,721.71

Grants $ 626.81

Reserves $ 30.00

Library $ 497.99

Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Mullen to let the Board know what all the credits pertaining to insurance were for at the next meeting. Motion carried unanimously.

14. Future Agenda Items: joint meeting with the School Board, Transfer Station fees, Public Hearing with CVPS at 7, award bid for wall on Perkins Hill Road, Class IV road third reading, award bid for Stoughton Pond Road Engineer Supervisor.

Mr. Fuller said he has been asked by a couple contractors about furnishing stone for the wall on Perkins Hill Road and he doesn't have time to do it at this time so he will not be participating in this.

15. Executive Session: Mr. Fisher made the motion to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel. Mr. Cobb seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

16. Adjourn: Mr. Arrison made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Cobb seconded the motion which passed without dissent. The Weathersfield Select Board adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lisa Sargent

"Pending Items"

Select Boards Goals

Policy on Solid Waste Fee (charge per parcel)