Town of Pittsford, Vermont

Town of Pittsford
Select Board Minutes 12/22/04  
 DRAFT

Thomas “Hank” Pelkey opened the meeting at 6:30 PM.  Select Board members present were:  Thomas “Hank” Pelkey, Larry Pomainville, Allen Hitchcock and Dave Markowski.  Joe Gagnon was absent.  Also present were:  Mary Wilson, Monica Coleman, Roberta Ezratty, Mike Balch and Helen McKinlay.  Don Nickless arrived at 6:55 P.M.

MINUTES

The minutes of December 8, 2004 were reviewed and discussed.  The first line under Town Manager’s report the letter “r” will be removed after complete.  The second bullet will be changed to read Sewer Plant balance of $115,000 with limits.  Page 2 under Auditors will be changed to read meeting with the auditors.  Page 2 middle bullet will be changed to read the requested budgets from Otter Valley and RNESU libraries were included with the Maclure Library presentation for informational purposes.  Page 3 the word pursue will be changed to purchase.  The last paragraph second line regarding snowmobiles will be reworded for clarification. 

The minutes of December 16, 2004 will be reviewed and discussed at the January 5, 2005 meeting. 

ORDERS

The orders of December 22, 2004 were reviewed, discussed and approved    Payroll deductions will be researched to find why the amounts vary between the payroll order and the accounts payable order and verify the correct amounts are being withheld from payroll.  Rutland County Court Diversion was approved at the 2004 Town Meeting. 

The Nextel bills will be researched further for the police cruiser.  Consolidation of the Town cell phones to Verizon will be researched.  If we are unable to change the Police Department phone contract at this time the monthly minutes will be increased.  Prior to payment for truck tires the Town will verify the charges are at the guaranteed State price.  The need for using two companies for the purchase of welding gas will be researched. 

TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT

• Sullivan & Powers indicated it is okay to continue with the practice of withholding property taxes from an employee’s pay at his request and with written authorization.
• Follow-up is in process on the Craig Pelkey/Laurie Perry dog issue.  The invoice has been sent and arrangements are in process to retain a Rutland collection agency.  The fee is 30% of the amount actually collected, with no up front fee charges.  We have a proposal from a Rutland collection agency. 
• The Depot Hill covered bridge financing and maintenance agreement has been received from the State of VT.  The Depot Hill Bridge grant is a 100% grant with no matching fees due from the Town.  A. Hitchcock made a motion to accept the Depot Hill grant financing and maintenance agreement as presented.  D. Markowski seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously. 
• The Listers requested the Select Board sign a petition to the State of VT, Director of Property Evaluation to review the Town’s Property Evaluation and COLA dispersion for errors.  A. Hitchcock made a motion to sign the petition as presented.  The motion was seconded by H. Pelkey.  The motion passed unanimously.
• The CPA Draft audit from Sullivan and Powers was received this afternoon by email.  A full review of the document has not been completed at this time.  A few items noted by M. Balch are the undesignated balance at year end.  The over expended $300,000 of which we only had an audited balance of $171,000 in reserve will have to be added to the next tax rate.  An earlier Select Board decision to not carry forward any balances that have not yet been audited was discussed. M. Balch will finish reviewing the draft audit documentation and work with the auditors on possible errors and footnotes. 
• M. Balch and H. McKinlay have scheduled a conference call with Naomi Hatch/USDA for completion of the filing for the $115,000 Sewer Plant grant reimbursement.  
• M. Balch has not written the false alarm policy for security system calls at this time.  The policy is being researched and will be submitted to the Select Board for review upon completion.
• M. Balch will contact Brenda Fleming at RNESU to request information on the Town’s differential on Act 68. 
• M. Balch will draft Water and Sewer Department policies for the mapping of new services and repair lines. 
• The First Response fund balance will be researched.

   

  The Select Board recessed as the Select Board and convened as the Sewer Board at 6:48 P.M. The Select Board reconvened at 7:00 P.M.

   

  PUBLIC COMMENT

  There were no public comments this evening.

   

  OLD BUSINESS

  FY Draft Budget

  M. Balch will begin drafting the Town warning.  Property tax exemptions for Maclure Library and the Historical Society have expired and will be placed on the warning for approval. 

   

  Credit Association Agreement

  A Credit Association agreement was presented earlier this evening and is standard fare for these organizations.  The collection agencies are only paid 30 % of what they actually collect.   All that is needed from the Town to start collection proceedings is a copy of an invoice and demand letter from the Town.  The Select Board approved the Credit Association agreement. 

   

  Fire Hill Road Request for Bids

  D. Markowski requested clarification of the specifications required for the Fire Hill Road Proposal.  M. Balch reviewed the specifications as discussed at the pre-bid conference and site walk.  Any questions or changes are required in writing and a written response sent to all parties who attended the pre-bid conference meeting.  The bid request wording was reviewed.  J. Tomlinson will be notified to contact M. Balch for clarification as required by the bid proposal documentation.   

   

  Village Green Tree Removal

  An invoice for removal of a tree in the Town right of way at the Peter Cady Village Green residence was discussed.  VTrans Rutland has indicated the Town owns the Village Green property.  Based on this information the Town had the tree removed.  The Rt. 7 Steering Committee has indicated the Village Green property belongs to the State.  M. Balch is working to settle this property dispute.   

   

  EXECUTIVE SESSION

  In accordance with 1VSA 312(b) where premature general public knowledge would clearly place the Municipality or person involved at a substantial disadvantage, the Board unanimously agreed to go into executive session for Contracts and Pending Litigation   issues at 7:00 P.M.  M. Balch and D. Nickless were invited to stay.  All others were excused.  The Board came out of executive session at 8:42 P.M.  The Board took no action at this time.

   

  EXECUTIVE SESSION

  In accordance with 1VSA 312(b) where premature general public knowledge would clearly place the Municipality or person involved at a substantial disadvantage, the Board unanimously agreed to go into executive session for Contracts and Pending Litigation   issues at 8:46 P.M.  M. Balch was invited to stay.  All others were excused.  The Board came out of executive session at 9:01 P.M.  The Board took no action at this time.

   

  With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:02 P.M.

     

   Respectfully submitted:

  Thomas “Hank” Pelkey, Chair

  Larry Pomainville, Vice-Chair   

  Dave Markowski, Selectman

   W. Joseph Gagnon, Selectman - ABSENT

    Allen Hitchcock, Selectman

  Helen McKinlay, Recording Secretary         

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