Board of Selectmen’s Minutes

Groton Community Building

August 16, 2005

 

Present:

Select Board: Leonard Doscinski, Debra Tinkham and Richard Kreis

Treasurer: Roberta Dana

Fire Chief: Jeremy Darling

Road Commissioner: Brent Smith

Guests: Debra Darling

 

 

Page 1 of 2

 

Leonard called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

Correspondence and Selectboard minutes were reviewed. The August 2, 2005 minutes were approved.

 

Debra explained that Eric Houstra was unable to attend the meeting regarding the redistricting for a Groton Village District.

 

The bid from Gary’s Fuel was accepted for the off road diesel and fuel oil.

 

Jeremy: checked into the cost to hire the log truck with cherry picker to clean and pile up stumps and wood trash at the stump dump. The charge would be $100.00 an hour and it shouldn’t take to many hours.

Richard shouldn’t we get a better handle on the amount of hours this could take rather then just giving the go ahead?

Jeremy: it might take three hours.

Discussion on the pros and cons of the stump dump and where the money for the payment of the work would come from was talked over.

The Selectboard gave the go ahead to hire the truck with cherry picker to do the work at the stump dump up to three hours.

Linda was asked to put it on her computer as a reminder to have a line item for the town budget for a Stump dump budget.

 

Brent explained about the traffic study and the traffic and highway ordinances were reviewed again. There will need to be documentation justifying the speed limits and a definition of class 4 roads and untraveled class 4 roads.

Debra is there a map showing the class 4 roads?

Brent: they are on the highway map.

 

The Selectboard and Brent discussed the process on adopting the traffic ordinance. Brent it is in VSA 24, Section 1972.

Debra Darling said she has spoken to Brent about the culvert by her driveway for the last year and wonders if it might get replaced by November 1st, 2005.

Brent: maybe by November. Brent agreed to have this done by November 2005.

 

Roberta gave an update on the property tax rate. Municipal portion may come down 20 cents. Grievances will be done on Thursday and then the 4-11 and the grandlist will be sent to the state so we should hear back in five working days what the school dollar figure would be.

 

The Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, August 23 to vote on the tax rate. 

Roberta wondered why the Town of Groton doesn’t look into getting cell towers put up in Groton?

Ryegate Town Clerk will be contacted with questions on how and if they were approached about the cell towers.

 

Driveway permits were signed for Martin Guay on Mt. Ara Road.

 

Leonard: When the Planning Grant design bids goes out Arnold Aho will be contacted to put in a draft plan.

 

 

Page 2 of 2, August 16, 2005

 

The Town Officers Awards for serving the Town of Groton for 20 plus years will be handed out November 9 th at Fairlee.

 

The Town of Groton will be receiving a letter from Otterman and Allen concerning the completion of the land survey for the Community Building.  This was tabled until next Tuesday, August 23 when the Selectboard receive the letter.

 

Debra filled the other two Selectmen in on the 1st Annual Groton State Forest Fall Foliage Race.

 

Debra do we have an up date on the Red Brook concerns?

Linda: Reg. hasn’t heard anything since he put out the no swimming or fishing signs but will be contacting Reginald Smith from the Agency of Natural Resources.

 

Brent filled he Selectboard in on the advanced driver training coarse that is offered free through VLCT Insurance. Steven’s School in Springfield gave the coarse on August 9th.  Brent: the coarse is worth taking, it was very insightful.

 

Leonard: we are finishing up the Homeland Security grant money from 2004. The Fire Department received the equipment they purchased through the grant.

 

Richard: in the Opinions (article # 6) reads that elected officials are not covered by workmen’s comp, maybe this should be looked into just to check if this is an error.

 

Debra made the motion to adjourn; Richard seconded the motion Leonard agreed, so moved.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.

 

    

                                                                                        

Groton Selectboard

 

                                                                            

                                                                             _____________________________

                                                                             Leonard Doscinski, Chair

 

                                                                            

                                                                             ______________________________

                                                                             Debra Tinkham

 

 

                                                                             _____________________________

                                                                             Richard Kreis

                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted by Linda Nunn

                            

 

 

 

Not Valid Until Signed By The Selectboard