05-03-2021 Selectboard Meeting
Town of Fairlee Town Hall
75 Town Common Road
Fairlee, VT 05045
(The Selectboard and the Town Administrator were in person, and
most staff and all public attendees were remote using ZOOM.)
Monday, May 3, 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
- Visitor: Dennis Farmer.
AGENDA APPROVAL AND MODIFICATIONS:
McGrath added an update on the newsletter.
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Lance Mills moved/seconded the motion to accept the Agenda as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
STAFF AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
Zoning Administrator’s Report
Brimmer sent the following report to the Selectboard meeting:
The Development Review Board approved the plat for a half-acre house lot and plans are for a small house to be built by late summer.
Brimmer attended 2021 Bike-Ped grant webinar, which may open some opportunities to connect Main Street and Lake Morey with the elementary school and the Town Hall.
Brimmer reported that the Planning Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 5, to complete the last details of the interim amendments to be then submitted to the Selectboard.
Brimmer reported that he and Tad met with Bern, Jonah, and Travis Wednesday, April 28, regarding the Chapman Place project, which will require both State and local permitting from the Zoning office and the Selectboard. Brimmer provided an attached document. Chapman’s Place is proposed to include the following:
- A Coffee Hut, which will require an Itinerant Vendor license.
- A gazebo and public art installations, which will provide a venue for the community.
- Commercial signage, which will require site plan approval by the DRB and a zoning permit. The project plan will require a better developed narrative and a parking plan.
- Event permitting through VTrans.
There is interest in restoring the crosswalk that used to run between the Colby Block and Chapman’s.
Brimmer sent a warning letter and plans to prepare a formal Notice of Violation (NOV) for the noncompliant RV and construction of an addition to that RV. Brimmer reported that an attorney may be needed to move the complaint to the Environmental Division of the Superior Court if the official NOV is disregarded.
[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 April 26, 2021:
Fairlee Water Projects
Nunez stated that two DSL internet lines will be installed to allow for improved communications between the water facility functions and the operators.
Nunez reported that there were five families in attendance at the Fairview Street water main project site meeting.
Lisa Hinsley, Barry Larson, and Nunez met with the Zenner representative about the failing MUI radio units. The rep is returning May 5 and 6 to work with Larson to remedy the issues.
Nunez reported that he and Hinsley met with David Ceppetelli, Tata & Howard engineer, to review the Water Project budget and concluded that there are sufficient funds in both the USDA grant and Water Department budget to complete all planned projects.
Nunez reported that he received a complaint from VTrans regarding a water ponding issue along Route 5 South because of the Town’s water project work.
Roadside Mowing
Nunez reported that the requests for proposals (RFPs) for roadside mowing were sent out to four prospective bidders. The RFPs are due on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Demolition of Library Outbuilding
Nunez reported that there were three contractors in attendance at the prebid Library outbuilding demolition meeting on Wednesday, April 28. Bids are due Friday, May 7.
Water Bills
The water bills were sent out on May 3, 2021.
Intermunicipal Regional Energy Coordinator PROGRESS REPORT
Nunez provided the IREC Report to the Selectboard. Topics included energy services performance contracting, energy-related zoning standards, green procurement policy, and greenhouse gas emission inventory.
Water Infrastructure Finance Program
Nunez stated that there is funding (loan forgiveness) through the VT Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Investment Division, Water Infrastructure Finance Program to be applied to the Town’s Green Storm Water project planning and design engineering.
Central VT Solid Waste Management District
Nunez participated in the monthly CVSWMD Finance Committee meeting during which it was announced that the CVSWMD received a Materials Management grant in the amount of $156,100 to be applied to a new box truck and to the Household Waste facility construction project.
Fire Truck Committee
Ken Champagne, Fairlee Fire Chief, will be forming a new fire truck committee, and the project will take several months before a proposal will be submitted to the Selectboard.
Signage in the Town Forest
Nunez stated that he and Mike Wright, Road Foreman, posted an in-ground sign displaying the No Fires symbol at the Bald Top Trail parking area.
[End of Town Administrator’s Report]
Green Up Day
Berger announced that Green Up Day was successful, and that he and the volunteers collected 35% more trash and discarded items than last year.
NEW BUSINESS
Open Meeting Law
Nunez researched the State law for the retention of recordings of meetings. Nunez reported that the recordings whether audio or Zoom audio/video are required to be archived for one year. Berger stated that Fairlee has always complied.
Support Letter for CVSWMD
Nunez requested a letter to be sent from the Selectboard supporting the CVSWMD. The Board agreed.
OLD BUSINESS
Tata & Howard Engineering Services Agreement
MOTION: Cathy McGrath moved and Lance Mills seconded the motion to approve and sign the Tata & Howard Planning and Design of Fairlee Transfer Station Improvements (No. 6665) contract. The motion passed unanimously.
Materials Management Infrastructure Grant Agreement
MOTION: Cathy McGrath moved and Lance Mills seconded the motion to approve and sign the VT Department of Environmental Conservation Infrastructure Improvements at the Fairlee Transfer Station Grant Agreement. The motion passed unanimously.
Fairlee Newsletter
McGrath and the Board members discussed the revised text for the spring Newsletter.
NEXT SELECTBOARD MEETING: Monday, May 10, 2021, at 6:00 PM.
CORRESPONDENCE:
EV Charger
Berger asked Nunez to research the GMP fees and loan information for activation of the EV charger.
MINUTES REVIEW
MOTION: Cathy McGrath moved and Peter Berger seconded the motion to approve the Minutes from 4-19-21 as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Cathy McGrath moved and Lance Mills seconded the motion to approve the 4-26-21 Minutes as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURN
MOTION: Lance Mills/Cathy McGrath moved/seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:23 PM. The motion passed unanimously.
Attest: Joanna Bligh, Board Clerk