Select Board Minutes
Groton Community Building
May 17, 2007
Present:
Select Board: Leonard Doscinski, Debra Tinkham and David Spencer
Highway Personnel: Brent Smith
Tree Warden: Harry Chandler
Zoning Administrator: Cheryl Boucher
Cemetery Commission: Deborah Jurist
Guest: Richard Kreis
Page 1 of 4
Leonard called the meeting to order at
7:00 PM.
Mail was reviewed. Purchase orders were
signed.
1st Constable
training and mileage pay
Discussion rather to pay extra for Milt
Lamberton to attend training plus pay for his mileage was discussed. Others are
paid to go to training seminars. Leonard made the motion to pay Milt for
attending the training and his mileage. Dave seconded the motion and Debra agreed.
Harry Chandler: Has talked to Steve
Blood with Green Mountain Powder and Charlie Chapin with Davies Tree Service
about taking down the hazard trees.
Harry is still working on this issue.
The person’s insurance policy could be
canceled if the trees become an issue of danger and isn’t taken care of.
The Town of Groton has not requested
their insurance Company do anything concerning the hazard trees.
Harry: there is no sense in writing a tree inventory grant as there isn’t a tree committee and Harry can’t do the inventory by himself. Unless there is a tree inventory committee the grant application would just get thrown out.
Dave: discussed issues of the parking
of vehicles at the Welch Block and the plan to have the front grassed in. Harry said that Andy Broderick and Vermont
Housing would be the contacts on that.
Debra: Bob Hanson and Rick were looking
at the parking issue about two weeks ago.
Dave wanted to say thank you to Harry
Chandler, Brent Smith, Phillip Palmer and members of the Recreation committee
for cleaning up the downed tree and bushes at the veteran’s park.
Richard Kreis filled the Selectboard in
on the Community Club’s donations to the Groton Swim program, the Library,
Recreation Committee and the scholarships to the Blue Mountain Union School
Graduates.
Richard requested the Selectboard make
the motion to endorse and authorize as a town function the Groton Community
Club 52nd annual chicken pie supper along with the day-long Fall
Foliage Festival activities to be held on Saturday, October 6, 2007, such
endorsement and authorization to include the preparatory activities of October
4 and 5, 2007, and give permission for the use of the Groton Community Building
and grounds for these activities.
Debra made the motion that the Groton
Selectboard endorse and authorize as a town function the Groton Community
Club’s 52nd annual chicken pie supper along with the day-long Fall
Foliage Festival activities to be held on Saturday, October 6, 2007, such
endorsement and authorization to include the preparatory activities of October
4 and 5, 2007, and give permission for the use of the Groton Community Building
and grounds for these activities.
Leonard seconded the motion. Dave agreed. Approved by voice vote.
Dave mentioned the Volkswalk to
Richard. Since Richard was not familiar with it, Dave said he would e-mail Paul
Berlejung to suggest he talk to Diane Kreis about the Volkswalk.
Debra brought up about the refrigerator
in the kitchen being unplugged and being moldy.
Linda Nunn: addressed the problem that
someone wanted to use the refrigerator so they had cleaned it and plugged it in
so that it would cool down so as to be used. It is running fine now and I have
locked it until someone needs to use it.
Roberta: hasn’t received any money from
the Community Club for the Recreation Committee.
Richard: it went to Modern Woodsmen of
America for matching funds so they haven’t received it yet.
Deborah Jurist reported on the Park
Street Cemetery Survey.
Dave suggested that a copy of the
survey map along with a copy of the minutes will be filed in the vault. The
issue of the right of way to the park street cemetery is not finalized at this
time but will be put to rest for now. It is agreed with the surveyor, Shane
Clark from TruLine and Attorney, Adrian Otterman, from Otterman and Allen Law
Office that the Town of Groton does have a right of way from Park Street onto
the land purchased by the Town of Groton for the cemetery. The property owner does not agree. Deborah
suggested the town not pursue the matter at this time, since the circumstances
with the property owner may change over time and it looks like the town will
not need the additional cemetery lots for several years. The board agreed.
Cheryl Boucher: she has received
questions concerning a building permit that does not agree with what was being
built. Cheryl requested some advice from the Selectboard.
Highway
Brent: No big problems.
Paving was discussed. Brent is still working on a plan for paving.
Paving bids won’t go out until the
first of June.
Dave: sidewalk paving is this separate
from the highway paving?
Sidewalk paving was discussed
concerning the distant to be paved along with where the starting point and the
stopping point will be and putting it out to bid.
Signage and cutting back brush on blind
corners for Boulder Beach Road has become a high priority and will be done
shortly.
Dave discussed the revised sidewalk
plans. Dave will check for the
differences of the old plans and the new plans.
Debra: Need to stay on top of things.
An estimated price for the repairs and
fill needed in the old play area on the backside of the Community Building was
submitted by John’s Property Maintenance.
The issue of safety was discussed feeling there was no safety issues
except for the removal of the old stairs this will not be repaired. Don’t mow
the grass out back mow only as far as possibly.
Brent: there is sheetrock and painted
boards at the stump dump that need to be trucked away so will have the stairs
picked up at the same time and taken to the dump.
Leonard: are we putting the old one ton
and the bucket loader out to bid?
Brent: will get the information to
Linda to post.
Culvert permit was approved for Bradley
Greenough, Ronald and Susan Smith.
Planning
Commission
A recommendation from the Planning
Commission for the appointment of Frank Lapham to the Planning Board was
reviewed.
Dave made the motion to appoint Frank
Lapham to the Planning Commission. Debra seconded the motion. Leonard agreed.
So moved.
The $2,500.00 dry hydrant grant the
town applied for to install a dry hydrant on Cold Water Brook was received.
Dave discussed Patricia Bouley becoming
ill after working at the office.
Dave has called a company in Barre and
set up a date and time to have them check the building for mold. Dave will meet them on May 22, at 8:00 pm to
check the mold issue.
The
Selectboard decided not to purchase a police cruiser as it wasn’t budgeted for.
Dave:
Roberta would you send Ryegate a check for these items?
Class/Training
Parking Ordinance
Insurance
Insurance
on private citizen’s vehicles being used as a police vehicle or on a rescue
call was discussed because of the possible increase in their personal insurance
cost because of being used for the town activities. VLCT insurance is only a secondary insurance to peoples’ private
policies for liability. VLCT suggested that people notify their insurance
companies that they are using their vehicles for law enforcement or emergency
services.
The
Town could pickup the difference in cost if people’s private insurance rates go
up because of being used for law enforcement or emergency services.
Brent:
the town used to carry insurance (VIFS) through Berwick Insurance and this
would cover the different things, but the Selectboard discontinued it.
Leonard:
this discussion was made without talking with the Fire Department.
Web Site
Dave
made the motion to make the kitchen available for Olin Guy with a charge of
$5.00 an hour and they would have to work around the days when TOPS uses the
kitchen. Debra seconded the motion Leonard agreed. So moved.
Meeting
Cub Scouts
Retreat for Selectboard
Debra
is checking into the rules and some prices for the Selectboard to meet as a
retreat.
Treasurer
Roberta
will contact the Town of Ryegate and get an invoice or a receipt of the Radar
system and the vest.
Hold on
to Jonathan’s purchase order as he didn’t come in so as to discuss it.
Pay
Milt $12.50 an hour for 12 hours plus mileage for attending training.
VTrans
bill for the bridge project. Roberta went back to 1997 through September 2005
when we received the last invoice.
Roberta:
there is about $5600.00 in the reserve fund bridge account and the bill is for
$11,728.78.
Dave
made the motion to pay them the $5,600.00 that’s in the reserve fund bridge
account and we would wait to pay the remainder next year. Debra seconded the
motion and Leonard agreed. So moved.
The Maintenance contract from Paige
Computer was reviewed. This will be tabled until next meeting when Roberta can
get more information and check with Thornton Computer Service on prices.
Linda: didn’t write the letters
concerning the sexual harassment issue.
Linda was asked to send a letter.
Roadside
Mowing Bids
Linda will put out the bids for
roadside mowing to be received by June 7th meeting.
Orders were signed in the amount of $ 6,512.68
Leonard made the motion to adjourn;
Debra seconded the motion. Dave agreed.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm.
Groton Board of Selectmen
_______________________
Leonard
Doscinski
___________________________
___________________________
Dave Spencer
Respectfully submitted by Linda Nunn
Not Valid Until Signed By The Selectboard