Vernon Selectboard Mtg.                                                                 4/5/10   

 

                                                                        Accepted as Corrected 4/19/10                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                          

                                                                        

 

                   

VERNON SELECTBOARD

 MEETING

 

April 5, 2010                                          6:15 PM

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:                                 OTHERS PRESENT:                        

Mike Courtemanche -Chair                             Sally Brassor                          

Mike Ball                                                        Sandy Harris                                                  

Chris Howe                                                     David Walker                                                                                           

Robert Miller Jr.                                              David Andrews                                             

Len Howard                                                    Scott Lane

                                                                        Tom Hendricks

OTHERS PRESENT:                                     Bruce Gauld   

Annette Roydon                                             Marybeth Hebert

Mike Coughlin 

Olga Peters-Media

 

 

TOWN OFFICE DRAINAGE-6:15

The Selectboard met outside the Town Office with David Walker and Mike Coughlin to review the drainage around the building. They discussed the problems with the drain being too high to take care of the water coming off the roofs of the building. It was the consensus of everyone that David Walker and the highway department get the materials and repair the drains on all four sides. This would limit the use of the entrance way and stairs on the front of the building facing Route 142. This would be posted in the Vernon Newspaper so everyone is aware of the closing of that entrance.

Mike Coughlin conveyed that the foyer project had been on hold due to obtaining permits. Jeremy Coleman would be getting bids for the construction part of the project. The Selectboard would like to meet with Jeremy again before things are finalized.

The Board thanked Mike Coughlin for a job well done in the instrumentation of the carpet project. The Board also thanked the employees for their hard work in packing and unpacking of the areas to get the new carpet.

The Board continued there meeting inside.                                                 

                       

WELCOME AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

At 6:36 pm Chair Mike Courtemanche welcomed those present and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Tom Hendricks stated that he had requested from the Police Department a copy of a police report from an incident in November. Mike Courtemanche stated that he would talk to Marybeth.

With no other public comments the Board moved on.

 

MINUTE APPROVAL

March 15, 2010

Mike Ball requested that the name of the person who abstains be included on the minutes. Corrections to the minutes are spelling of Chris Howe’s name.

 

MIKE BALL MADE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF MARCH 15TH AS CORRECTED. ROBERT MILLER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

BILLS AND WARRANTS

ROBERT MILLER MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING WARRANTS:

                        18S/G   $42,278.73

                         11S      $10,752.52

                        12S       $11,459.53

                        13S       $10,821.10

                        14S       $11,475.65

MIKE BALL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Doc Send- Mike Courtemanche asked Sally if the Doc Send was fixed and if there are any security problems. Sally stated that the information has been retrieved and none was lost. The Doc Send needs to be user friendly but still limit others from obtaining the information. It was the consensus of the Board to have the computer specialist come in and meet with everyone involved to make sure it is set up correctly and to get some training on the equipment.

Credit Card Usage Policy-Mike Courtemanche had received a policy from VLTC regarding the usage of personal credit cards to purchase items for the town. After much discussion  about the Towns credit card usage and the added work put on the Treasurer reconciling the slips Len Howard suggested that all department heads have there own card and be responsible for obtain the paper work before it gets turned into the Treasurers office. This would alleviate Sally from chasing paper work that is incomplete. Department heads would be responsible for getting the correct paper work to Sally before payment was to be made to vendors.   

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO ALLOW DEPARTMENT HEADS TO HAVE A TOWN CREDIT CARD WITH LIMITS ALONG WITH A LIST OF VENDORS THAT THE TOWN CURRENTLY USES. MIKE BALL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT

David Andrews updated the Board about the pond in front of the Post Office. The dry Fire Hydrant needs to be repaired and that is why it is drained. The repairs will come from the fire pond line item and the highway department was willing to do the repairs to the pipes.

David also updated the Board on a grant that they had applied for and will be receiving $39,000.00 from that grant with a match of $1700.00 from the Fire Department. It was the consensus of the Board that this would be acceptable.

David conveyed that the Fire Association purchased with their funds a Rad 57 Pulse Ox which measures O2 stat, heart rate and carbon monoxide levels and would like to gift it to the Town of Vernon’s Fire Department. David would get all the paper work to Sally.

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RAD 57 PULSE OX CHRIS HOWE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

The Rad 57 would be housed at the Fire Station for the EMS providers. Training would be provided before it would be used hopefully by the end of April.

 

Bid Specs for New Bay Doors-David presented the Board with a draft of the bid for the bay doors to be replaced at the Fire Station. After review of the bid the Treasurer suggested to put in about the insurance requirements.

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BID WITH CORRECTIONS. ROBERT MILLER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

ECO Radios-David conveyed that the ECO was providing funds for the purchase of the new radios.

 

MIKE BALL MADE THE MOTION TO TAKE THE GENERATOR FROM NEW/OLD UNFINISHED BUSINESS OUT OF ORDER ON THE AGENDA. LEN HOWARD SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Generator- Annette Roydon stated that she received specs for a company for the generator for the school. Mike Courtemanche stated that he would move forward with talking with the school board. It is still needed if the School with be classified as a Red Cross center.

The Board thanked David and Annette.

 

TOWN CLERK

Cemetery Deeds-

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE A CEMETERY DEED FOR LOT 135 SITE D NORTH. MIKE BALL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Liquor Licenses-

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE TOBACCO AND SECOND CLASS LIQUOR LICENSES FOR SCHOOL HOUSE GROCERY AND PORTSIDE TAVERN. CHRIS HOWE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Pinwheel Garden-

The Pinwheels are a symbol of Prevent Child Abuse for the month of April. The preschool children will “plant” the pinwheels in front of the Town Office.

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE PINWHEEL GARDEN. ROBERT MILLER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Cemetery Openings-

 

MIKE BALL MADE THE MOTION TO OPEN THE CEMETERIES. LEN HOWARD SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

CHRIS HOWE MADE A MOTION TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. LEN HOWARD SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED @ 7:45.

The Board reconvened @ 7:50.

 

POLICE DEPARTMENT-

Marybeth presented the Board with the stats for the month of March which looked very favorably. The Board conveyed that the Police Department was doing a great job. Marybeth stated that the goals she had for the Department consisted of the hiring of more part-time officers, increasing Patrol hours, expanding relations with the community and starting a Jr. Police Explorers.  Marybeth stated that she would like to replace DARE with an up-dated program and has talked to the Vernon School principal Marc Speno.  They also would like to have a citizen’s survey to promote the Department. Space is another issue to be thinking about in the future with the storage for records along with new equipment that is required for bookings since they no longer can take a prisoner to Brattleboro but now have to take them to Springfield which means that another officer would have to be called in to cover the shift until that officer returns.  Marybeth stated that she has finished with the Policy and Procedures and will get copies to the Selectboard Members. Scott Lane stated that it’s a pleasure to work with Marybeth and he’s excited to be part of the changes.

The Board thanked Marybeth and Bruce.

 

SALARY & WAGE STUDY

The Board discussed the salary and wage study to be finalized and if they should continue with Harry Snyder to complete the study or should another party complete this.

It was the consensus of the Board to contact another outside party to complete the salary and wage study.

 

NEW-OLD UNFINISHED BUSINESS-

Dodge Dakota Bid-

Mike Courtemanche opened the five bids for the Dodge Dakota Pick-up with the winning bid to go to Neal Saunders of Vernon. Mike Courtemanche will contact Mr. Saunders that he has the winning bid.

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO AWARD NEAL SAUNDERS THE DODGE DAKOTA PICK-UP WITH A BID OF $3500.00. ROBERT MILLER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Central Park Letter-

 

MIKE BALL MADE THE MOTION TO SEND A PURPOSED LETTER TO CERSOSIMO’S FROM THE TOWN ATTORNEY. ROBERT MILLER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Road Sign-

MIKE BALL MADE THE MOTION FOR INCLUSION IN OUR PACIF POLICY TO APPROVE THE ADDITIONAL COST OF $42.00 TO THE INSURANCE POLICY FOR ROAD SIGNAGE REPLACEMENT. LEN HOWARD SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Velco Light Request-

 For Vermont Yankee outage Velco is proposing to bus contractors back and forth from the Peck Road yard to VY for two shifts early am and late pm. They are proposing using six lights 7’ tall pointing towards the ground. The lights are for safety purposes.

 

LEN HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO ALLOW FOR THE TEMPORARY LIGHTING FOR THE VY OUTAGE. MIKE BALL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Town Bus-

Mike Courtemanche stated that the preschool has requested to use the Town Bus for a field trip with 2 months advance notice.

 

Town Forest-

The Board would convey to the Recreation Department that the fence is still open at the Town Forest.

 

The Board discussed replacing outside lights with LED lights for cost savings. Mike Courtemanche would talk to Mike Coughlin about the outside lights at the Town Office along with the Recreation Department and any other areas that have lighting for security measures. David Walker has use of a bucket truck to change the lights over.

 

MEDIA

 Olga Peter’s from the Commons Newspaper asked the Board questions about the Police Department interim Chief and if the Board has started with the process of hiring a Police Chief. The Board conveyed that things are still moving forward with the Police Department and that Marybeth is doing a great job.  

The Board thanked Olga.

 

LEN HOWARD made the motion to adjourn. CHRIS HOWE seconded the motion. THE motion carried.

 Adjourned @8:47 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted by Elaine Howard

 

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