07-01-2019 Selectboard Meeting
Town of Fairlee Selectboard Meeting
Town of Fairlee Town Hall
Grange Room
75 Town Common Road
Fairlee, VT 05045
Monday, July 1, 2019
Call to Order: 6:06 PM
Peter Berger, Chair, called the meeting to order. A quorum was met.
- Selectboard Members: Peter Berger, Chair; Cathy McGrath, Vice Chair; and Josh Hickman
- Town Administrator: Tad Nunez
- Board Clerk: Joanna Bligh
- Visitors: Noël Walker, Georgette Wolf-Ludwig, Russell Collins, and the Energy Commission: Bill Weale, Barbara Duncan, and Bob Wertheimer
AGENDA MODIFICATIONS
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to approve the Agenda as written. The motion passed unanimously.
STAFF AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
Town Administrator’s Report
Tad Nunez presented the Town Administrator’s report highlighting his activities and meetings during the week beginning June 24, 2019:
Water Projects Update
Nunez reported on the updated schedules for July: water treatment (submitting plans to the State of VT and USDA), water meters (submitting bid documents to USDA and advertising for bids), and the water main project (submitting plans to State of VT and USDA).
Forest Board
Nunez reported that the Forest Board has a contract with Limlaw Chipping & Land Clearing (West Topsham, VT) for logging.
Lake Morey Fish Kill
Nunez reported that a State of VT Fish and Game was notified of a fish kill on Lake Morey, and a biologist will be on site July 2.
[Georgette Wolf-Ludwig entered the meeting at 6:17 PM]
System for Award Management Program
Nunez reported that the Town must be registered in the System for Award Management to receive federal funds.
Asset Management Webinars
Nunez noted that the Town staff are eligible to participate in the upcoming Asset Management workshops.
[Barbara Duncan and Bob Wertheimer entered the meeting at 6:20 PM]
Volunteer Service Award from TRORC
Nunez stated that he attended the Annual Meeting at TRORC during which Berger was honored as Volunteer of the Year.
[Russell Collins entered the meeting at 6:24 PM]
Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
Nunez participated in an oversight committee meeting at CVSWMD.
State of Vermont (Act 48)
Nunez announced that a new Vermont law requires Health Officers to submit reports about rental inspection activities.
[End of Town Administrator’s Report]
Zoning Administrator’s Report
State of Vermont (Act 48)
Brimmer reviewed the new Vermont rental inspection law and noted that the reporting requirement must be met by August 1.
Planning Commission Meeting
Brimmer reported that on the agenda of the July 11 meeting of the Planning Commission is a discussion of the Municipal Planning grant application.
The Planning Commission will hold a Public Meeting on the Town Plan at the end of July.
Backup Generators
Brimmer reported that he is waiting for FEMA notification of availability of funds.
[End of Zoning Administrator’s Report]
NEW BUSINESS
Energy Commission
Berger spoke with Dori Wolfe (Thetford-Strafford Community Solar) about helping the Town distribute all its energy needs among multiple solar arrays. Cathy McGrath noted that the Planning Commission is currently drafting the updated Town Plan and is seeking input on renewable energy projects. The Selectboard recommended that the Energy Commission contact Brimmer to become engaged in the conversation.
[Bill Weale, Barbara Duncan, and Bob Wertheimer left the meeting at 7:03 PM]
New Land Record Recording Fee
Georgette Wolfe-Ludwig, Town Clerk, stated that the Vermont legislature approved H. 526, which increases the costs of land records obtained from municipalities and requires towns to allocate money for a reserve fund for land record restoration and preservation. Wolfe-Ludwig recommended that the Restoration and Preservation Reserve Fund shall be used solely for the restoration, preservation, digitization, storage, and conservation of municipal records.
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to approve the creation of a Restoration and Preservation Reserve Fund, which shall be used solely for the restoration, preservation, digitization, storage, and conservation of municipal records. The motion passed unanimously.
Appointment of Co-chair for the Lake Morey Commission
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to approve the appointment of Greg Allen and Don Weaver as Co-chairs of the Lake Morey Commission. The motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
Railroad Station Report
Berger introduced the Structural Assessment Report of the Fairlee Railroad Depot, funded by a grant from the Preservation Trust of Vermont. Nunez summed up the report for the Selectboard naming three key points: poor surface drainage, frost susceptibility, and assessment of the interior. The Selectboard recommended that Mike Wright assess the Report.
[Russ Collins and Noël Walker left the meeting at 7:48]
Better Connections Grant
The Selectboard confirmed the completion of the steering committee list, proposed preparations for a meeting, and noted that two proposals have been submitted. The Selectboard will continue a discussion about the proposals at another meeting.
Town Planning Survey Update
The Selectboard discussed additional topics for the upcoming Town Survey and presented a schedule of survey deployment dates.
Newsletter
McGrath tabled the discussion of newsletter topics to a future meeting.
BOARD ORDERS & CORRESPONDENCES
The board orders and correspondences were presented to the Selectboard for signatures.
MINUTES REVIEW
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to accept the Minutes from the 6-24-19 Selectboard meeting as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Cathy McGrath/Josh Hickman moved/seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURN: The meeting was adjourned at 8:38 PM.
Attest: Joanna Bligh, Minutes Clerk.