01-18-2021 Selectboard Meeting
Town of Fairlee Selectboard Meeting
Town of Fairlee Town Hall
75 Town Common Road
Fairlee, VT 05045
(All members, staff, and the public were remote using ZOOM.)
Monday, January 18, 2021
Call to Order: 6:05 PM
Peter Berger, Chair, called the meeting to order. A quorum was met.
PRESENT
- Selectboard Members: Peter Berger, Chair; Josh Hickman, Vice Chair; Cathy McGrath
- Town Administrator: Tad Nunez
- Town Clerk: Georgette Wolf-Ludwig
- Treasurer: Lisa Hinsley
- Budget Committee: Elizabeth Wilson, Steve Bentley, and Dan Ludwig
- Board Clerk: Joanna Bligh
- Visitor: Lance Mills.
AGENDA MODIFICATIONS:
Tad Nunez added a request from Chris Brimmer, Zoning Administrator, to sign the MOA for the Better Places grant.
Berger accepted the agenda as amended.
BUDGET COMMITTEE / ANNUAL HEARING
Elizabeth Wilson, Budget Committee Chair, made a recommendation from the entire Budget Committee that the Town Budget include the staff 3% cost-of-living increase as an appreciation for their hard work in these difficult times. The Treasurer, Budget Committee members, and Selectboard members discussed the costs to the Budget. Wilson added that retaining one month of operating expenses for the Town would be a good goal. The members discussed the 2021 Warrant of $30,000 for additional Orange County Sheriff Department hours.
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion approve the 2021 Budget as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
Berger thanked the Budget Committee, Lisa Hinsley, and Nunez for their good work on the Town Budget.
STAFF AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
School Board Meeting
Josh Hickman announced that there will be a School Board Meeting on January 19 at 6:30 PM with discussion of an increase in the operating budget. Hickman recommended that the Selectboard members attend the meeting.
Zoning Administrator’s Report
Brimmer reported on the Planning Commission’s upcoming meeting on February 3, 2021, at 6:00 PM. The Commission will meet with Kevin Geiger of TRORC first, and there will be a Public Hearing at 6:30 PM.
Brimmer reported that he will extract the zoning wording from the M2M Report for Planning Commission review. Also, from the M2M report, Brimmer recommended extracting marketing data for an informational brochure for local businesses.
Brimmer announced the preparation of a Better Places grant, which he will be submitting this week.
Brimmer attended a stimulus funding webinar, in which the presenters discussed allowing funds for local governments, similar to the Cares Act allocations.
Brimmer announced that the U.S. Census reports are complete, and the Town of Fairlee added three new dwellings in 2020.
[End of Zoning Administrator’s Report]
Town Administrator’s Report
Tad Nunez sent a report on the Town Administrator’s activities and meetings during the week beginning January 11, 2021:
Asset Management Project / Elizabeth Emmons (consultant, Dufresne Group)
Most of the field work has been completed.
The water system has been mapped using GIS data.
All interior assets have been recorded and prioritized in the database and sent to Lance Colby for his review.
VT Railroad Division
Nunez reported that he is working with the Railroad Division along with FEMA approval for the replacement of the culvert near the Railroad Station.
VT Trail Grant / Carbon Sequestration
Nunez continues to work with Lynne Fitzhugh on the Trails Grant and exploring a concept of carbon sequestration for Fairlee.
Thetford Solar Array Contract
The contract has been amended: 24% Library and 76% EMS building.
FCA Lighting Project
Nunez is continuing to work with Smith Reed on the Town Hall auditorium lighting project.
Class 2 Road Grant Project
Nunez met with the Road Foreman, Mike Wright, and Tata & Howard engineer, Dexter Lafavour, to kick off the Class 2 Road project to restore 1,800 feet of Lake Morey Road.
NEW BUSINESS
Draft of Town’s Warrant Articles
Georgette Wolf-Ludwig presented to the Selectboard a draft of the warrant articles for the Town’s ballot.
OLD BUSINESS
Town Meeting Preparations
Wolf-Ludwig stated that the Town Report will be online early in February and in the mail on February 16.
NEXT SELECTBOARD MEETING: Monday, January 25, 2021 at 6:00 PM.
CORRESPONDENCE: None.
COMMENTS BY SELECTBOARD MEMBERS
Hickman suggested opening the virtual Town Meeting sessions early so that attendees can test their equipment before the meeting begins.
MINUTES REVIEW
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to accept the Selectboard Meeting Minutes from 1-11-2021 as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURN
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 PM. The motion passed unanimously.
Attest: Joanna Bligh, Board Clerk