Weathersfield Select Board

Minutes

November 1, 2011

Present:

Gordon Eglintine

Norman John Arrison

Dave Fuller

Richard Clattenburg

Dan Boyer

Others Present:

Jim Mullen, Town Manager

Lisa Slade, Recording Secretary

Wes Hazeltine, Highway Superintendent

Alex Longtin

Edith Stillson

Jeff Slade

Michael Todd

Christopher Adams

deForest Bearse

Peter Korbet

Bette Jo Esty

John Esty

Flo Ann Dango

Marion Ballam

Alan Bulkeley II

1.  Call to Order: Mr. Fuller called the Weathersfield Select Board meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at Martin Memorial Hall.

2.  Executive Session:

Discuss Possible Recipients of Weathersfield Service Award: Mr. Arrison made the motion to go into Executive Session.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

3 Comments from Citizens and Select Board:  Mr. Mullen said Ms. Julia Lloyd Wright would like to be on the next Agenda.  Mr. Todd asked who was up for re-election this year.  Mr. Fuller and Mr. Arrison's terms are up in March.

4.  Review Minutes from Previous Meeting(s): Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the minutes dated October 18, 2011, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion.  A lot of corrections were noted.  Motion carried unanimously.

5.  Public Announcement

-Veterans Day Ceremony/Dedication of the Weathersfield Roll of Honor:  Mr. Arrison announced the Weathersfield Veterans Memorial Committee will be having a ceremony on Friday November 11^th at the Perkinsville Green at 10:15 a.m. to reveal the Roll of Honor and everyone is invited to attend.

6.  Public Hearings:

Proposed Amendments to Zoning Bylaws:  Mr. Fuller said these proposed amendments went through a number of Planning Commission workshops and public hearings already.  Mr. Clattenburg asked if any of the meetings were controversial, Mrs. Bearse said not at all.

-Nonconforming Lots and Parcels:  Mr. Fuller opened the Public Hearing on Nonconforming Lots and Parcels.  Mr. Korbet said he attended the first meeting and once again he was not given the opportunity to voice his concerns during the meeting.  Mr. Fuller said this is a concern of his but he also has a hard time believing that the Planning Commission does not allow public participation.  Mr. Korbet said he does not see the need to change the present language on existing small lots. He is advocating for the bylaw to stay the way it is.

Mr. Fuller asked what the options are tonight.  Mrs. Bearse said the Select Board can close the Public Hearings or continue them.  She said the Select Board can vote to adopt the proposed bylaws or they can vote to send them to the voters to adopt.

Mr. Fuller closed the Public Hearing on Nonconforming Lots and Parcels.  Mr. Arrison made the motion to adopt the proposed amendments on Nonconforming Lots and Parcels as presented.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

-Nonconforming Structures:  Mr. Fuller opened the Public Hearing on Nonconforming Structures.  Mr. Korbet said he thinks the present language on this is fine.  Mr. Fuller confirmed with Mrs. Bearse and Mr. Todd that a quorum was present at the meetings that the Planning Commission held.  They said yes, there was a quorum.  Mr. Fuller closed the Public Hearing.  Mr. Arrison made the motion to adopt the proposed amendments on Nonconforming Structures as presented.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

-Streambank Conservation: Mr. Fuller opened the Public Hearing on Streambank Conservation:  Mr. Fuller asked what the biggest change in this proposal was.  Mr. Todd said they identified a streambank and put language in to protect the streambank.  Mrs. Bearse said they also specified the minimum stream channel width.  Mr. Fuller closed the Public Hearing.  Mr. Boyer made the motion to adopt the proposed amendments on Streambank Conservation. Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

-Abandoned and Damaged Structures:  Mr. Fuller opened the Public Hearing.  Mr. Fuller confirmed this was discussed during Planning Commission Public Hearings like the other proposed changes were.  Mr. Korbet said the Town has a problem defining what constitutes a damaged structure.  Mr. Fuller closed the Public Hearing. Mr. Arrison made the motion to adopt the proposed amendments on Abandoned and Damaged Structures.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

7.  Medical Insurance

-Approve Health Insurance Plan for CY2012: Mr. Clattenburg said there are three choices out there and the one that can save the Town the most money doesn't allow coverage for out-of-network.  Mr. Fuller said the first option (column one) is no longer available so really there are only two options.  Mr. Adams said the group of physicians is rather extensive within the state.  Mr. Clattenburg said in network/out of network plans have been around for several years now, this is not something new.

Mr. Eglintine asked if Town or the employee funds the HSA fund.  Mr. Adams said the Town does.  Mrs. Slade asked what happens with the funds in the HSA account if they are not used.  Mr. Adams said they roll over; it is the employee's money to use.  Mrs. Slade suggested the Town consider a HRA instead of the HSA. Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Care $2,000/$4,000 plan.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

Mr. Fuller said the HSA plan will stay as is for now.  Mr. Adams said there will be Administrative issues to deal with if we change from this so we need to know well before year end if there will be a change.

-Discuss Opt-Out Program for CY2012:  Mr. Clattenburg said when he came on the Select Board he was surprised to learn the Opt Out credit is as high as it is.

Mr. Fuller said he has talked to the Highway department and he thinks we need to separate pay issues from benefit issues.  He said we should look at what we are paying our employees and adjust if needed.  Mr. Fuller said there are currently two participants receiving the Opt Out credit.

Mr. Clattenburg said we could change the program and just Grandfather the current two that are receiving the credit now.  Mr. Adams said we need to be sure to treat all employees equal.

Mr. Arrison said we seem to have become an employer looking for employees to work less than 29 hours a week.

Mr. Clattenburg made the motion to discuss this again on November 15^th.  Mr. Eglintine seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

8.  Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Discussion

-Town Administration, Jim Mullen: Mr. Mullen said there will be an increase in postage (due to delinquent tax collections) and the budget for the printing of the town reports will be going down because it will be printed using the small format (like last year).  He said he would like to replace the computer server so he would like the computer equipment to go from $5,000 up to $13,000.  Mr. Adams said they just asked Competitive Computers for an estimate a few days ago but replacing the server may be up near $10,000.  Mr. Todd said there is a reserve fund for improvements for the Town Office and he questioned if this would qualify for a purchase out of that fund or not.  This is not the same fund used for maintenance of Martin Hall. It was noted the server is still working but it should be replaced before it is broke.

-Town Clerk, Flo-Ann Dango: Mrs. Dango said she will use reserve funds for any purchase that she makes so she isn't looking for any additions in the budget.  She said she will be looking to index town proceedings in the next couple of years.  She said the budget line item for town meetings and elections should go from $6,000 to $7,000.

-Planning/Zoning, deForest Bearse: Mr. Clattenburg asked Mrs. Bearse how many hours she is working now.  Mrs. Bearse said she works twenty four hours as Zoning Administrator and another five hours for the Town Clerk.  She said she doesn't know of any budget concerns for her.

-Police, Richard Brown: Chief Brown said he is asking for ten additional hours for the part time officer's (an increase from twenty hours to thirty).  He said he has only one part time officer right now but is looking for another.  He is also asking for $1,000 to purchase a taser.  Mr. Todd said the increase in man hours should be offset with tickets that are being written as the part time officer is doing a great job at this time.  Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Mullen to look into a Grant that may be available for purchasing the taser.

9.  Old Business

A.  Tropical Storm Irene Update

-Approve Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Letter of Intent for Baltimore Road Box Culvert:  Mr. Clattenburg made the motion to submit the letter of intent.  Mr. Arrison seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

B.  Bow Sand Pit, Act 250 Amendment Application:  Mr. Mullen said we can easily remediate this pit ourselves without waiting for the permit amendment.  He said we will be extracting sand along the way.

C.  Discuss Bowen Hill Road Structures Grant for Retaining Wall: tabled until the next meeting

D.  Crown Point Road Discussion: Mr. Boyer made the motion to table this discussion.  Mr. Eglintine seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

E.  Sale of Town Owned Vehicles:  Mr. Fuller said the F-150 and F-550 have been sold.

10.  New Business

A.  PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) Quick Start Program, Julia Lloyd-Wright: tabled until the next meeting per Ms. Lloyd-Wrights request

B.  Award Bid for Bank Run Gravel:  Mr. Mullen said Ron Brown's bid was

$12.25 per yard for 1000 yards of gravel and he was the low bid.  Mr. Eglintine made the motion to award the bid to Ron Brown, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison asked if this was coming from the pit that we just abandoned.  Mr. Mullen said the same pit but a different section.  Mr. Arrison asked if he had a pit permit.  Mr. Mullen said yes, until November 15^th.  Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Hazeltine if he has looked at the gravel.  Mr. Hazeltine said he did and he has expressed his concerns to Ron Brown. Motion carried unanimously.

C.  Policy/Ordinance

-Policy on Aid to Residents in Need/First Reading: tabled

-Amend Administrative Policy on Delinquent Tax, Water and Wastewater Assessment Collections/First Reading: tabled

11.  Appointments:  None

12. Future Meetings' Agenda Items: Medical insurance opt-out plan, amendment to tax sales policy

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

General Fund Payroll                                                           $16,189.23

General Fund Operating Expense                                       $18,850.65

Highway Fund Payroll                                                         $11,796.15

Highway Fund Operating Expense                                     $69,967.91

Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll                             $  1,269.21

Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense         $  4,575.12

Library                                                                                   $       62.99

Agency Monies                                                                      $  1,273.56

Reserves                                                                                 $       10.00

Grants                                                                                    $   3,060.00

Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

14.  Adjourn:  Mr. Arrison made the motion to adjourn.  Mr. Clattenburg seconded the motion which passed without dissent. The Weathersfield Select Board meeting was adjourned at 9:52 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lisa Slade

Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on November 15, 2011