Jul
26
2021

07-26-2021 Selectboard Meeting

Town of Fairlee Town Hall
75 Town Common Road 
Fairlee, VT 05045

Monday, July 26, 2021 

Call to Order: 6:02 PM. Peter Berger, Chair, called the meeting to order. A quorum was met.

PRESENT
  • Selectboard Members: Peter Berger, Chair; Cathy McGrath, Vice Chair; and Lance Mills
  • Town Administrator: Tad Nunez
  • Board Clerk: Joanna Bligh
  • Visitors: Miranda Clemson, Arlene Guest, Denis Lambert.       
AGENDA APPROVAL AND MODIFICATIONS:

MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Lance Mills moved/seconded the motion to accept the Agenda as written. The motion passed unanimously.

STAFF AND PUBLIC COMMENTS

Recycling at the Transfer Station

Denis Lambert asked the Board about the procedures for recycling at the Transfer Station. Nunez responded that recycling is only for #1 and #2 plastics. Nunez noted that the Town won a grant to hire an engineering firm (Tata & Howard) to create a committee to make recommendations for improvements.

Fairlee Community Arts (FCA)

Lambert asked about the food ban in the auditorium during FCA indoor events. Berger noted that the FCA needs to be clear about the food policy for the auditorium, and he recommended having food downstairs in the Grange Room instead of the auditorium.

Zoning Administrator’s Report:

Brimmer announced the tour of properties in Fairlee with Andrew Winter (Twin Pines Housing) and Erika Hoffman-Kiess (Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation) for Thursday, July 29, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The tour group will meet at the Town Hall. Property owners have been contacted to join the tour.

Brimmer reported about the Planning Commission July 22 meeting with Kevin Geiger. Geiger presented recommendations for the Unified Development Bylaw wording for Residential Subdivisions and the Rural Resource Area.

Brimmer reported that the Planning Commission approved language for the Stretch Code energy requirements for multi-family housing.

Brimmer prepared the interim Bylaw amendments for the Selectboard review.

Brimmer announced that the Development Review Board has a hearing on July 28 on the conditional use of rebuilding two nonconforming structures on Lake Morey Road properties.

Brimmer announced a Park & Ride grant opportunity, which has an August 5 deadline.

[End of Zoning Administrator’s Report]

Town Administrator’s Report

Tad Nunez provided a report on the Town Administrator’s activities and meetings during the week beginning July 12, 2021:

Town Hall Auditorium

Nunez announced that the auditorium is now open for events and activities. Nunez recommended that the Selectboard consider the following:  

  • Food and drink be restricted to the Grange Room during pre-event, intermission, and post event times.
  • At private events, food and drink is allowed under strict conditions.
  • Both public and private event organizers are responsible for the additional charge for the cleaning of the auditorium floor.
  • No food vending during the Fairlee Community Arts Tuesday night indoor events.

 

Water Projects / Tata & Howard

Nunez met with Dexter Lefavor from Tata & Howard about the water projects. The following items were discussed:

  • Overlying of driveway entrances on Fairview St. by the contractor.
  • Fairview St. project was completed on time.
  • Three replacement valves will be installed the week of August 5.
  • Project accounting is in process.

State Forester’s REPORT

Nunez announced that he has not received the forester’s report from the on-site visit on June 4.

TRORC (Two Rivers–Ottauquechee Regional Commission)

Vermont Road Foreman Regional Meeting

(Wednesday, August 11 at the Town Garage, Chelsea, VT)

Nunez asked the Fairlee road foreman to attend this meeting, which is part of his contract with the Town.

Tri-Town Committee

Nunez reported that Lilian Shen of the Lake Fairlee dam Tri-Town Committee requested information about setting out buoys and warning signs at the dam.

Transfer Station Steering Committee

Nunez attended the first meeting of the Steering Committee, which included Lance Colby, Doug Tifft, Sandra Marsh, Lance Mills, Frank Godfrey, and Dexter Lefavor (Tata & Howard).

Tax Bill Announcements

Nunez asked the Selectboard if they wished to include a filler in the tax bills. Berger suggested notifications of road closures for the Lake Morey Road box culvert installation.

[End of Town Administrator’s Report]

NEW BUSINESS

Housing / Community Affordable Housing

Berger stated that the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds could address housing issues. The Board discussed ways using ARPA funding to gauge and address the past and current stress of local businesses and families in need. 

OLD BUSINESS

Main Street to Morey (M2M) Public Event August 26, 2021, Preparations

The Board recommended moving the date of the public M2M event to Thursday, August 26, and they discussed the logistics for the community event facilitated by Chris Sargent, Dubois & King.    

Review of Selectboard Goals and Objectives

McGrath presented a table of information related to strategies and goals for the Selectboard. Berger noted that the Board should focus on a 3- to 5-year timeframe for goals integrated with the capital budget and suggested a Selectboard workshop be designated for more discussion.     

ARPA Funding

Nunez continued with the ARPA video from Vermont League of Cities and Towns. The highlights of the video are as follows:

ARPA criteria include funding of:

  • Pandemic response costs
  • Workforce premium pay
  • Lost municipal revenue
  • Water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure
  • ARPA municipal priorities include:
  • Good governance
  • Leverage ARPA aid
  • Best uses for long-term recovery
  • Other considerations were discussed including who in the community was affected by Covid and whether focusing on childcare or community nursing would be helpful. Brimmer suggested speaking with the library staff to identify the impact of Covid remote learning on children.
NEXT SELECTBOARD MEETING: Monday, August 2, 2021, at 6:00 PM.
CORRESPONDENCE: None.
MINUTES REVIEW

MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Peter Berger moved/seconded the motion to approve the Minutes from 7-19-21 as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Lance Mills moved/seconded the motion to approve entering into Executive Session at 8:25 PM for personnel matters. The motion passed unanimously.

The Board came out of Executive Session at 9:07 PM.

Action item:

Selectboard Chair and Chris Brimmer signed off on Brimmer’s evaluation form.

ADJOURN

MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Lance Mills moved/seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:09 PM. The motion passed unanimously.

Attest: Joanna Bligh, Board Clerk