Time once again for the Brattleboro Selectboard's agenda and notes for their meeting Tuesday evening. This week they'll be taking on issues such as taxi driver permits, appointments to committees, utility truck service bids, approvals of grants, and will learn about Firework's plans for expanding their restaurant and Carbon Harvest's a plan to acquire, restore and improve the existing landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Brattleboro landfill.

Did you know you can attend these meetings in person? You can also bring up items that aren't on the agenda during Public Participation, and you can even watch everything that happens on BCTV.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be meeting on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 5pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room, Ste 212.  The Selectboard will be conducting interviews with interested applicants for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Citizens Review Committee at 5pm and the Regular Selectboard meeting will start, as scheduled at 6:15pm.  The meeting will take place in the Municipal Building located at 230 Main Street in Brattleboro, VT.  The Agenda and Administrative Report are attached.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
INTERVIEWS – 5:00PM
REGULAR MEETING - 6:15PM
AGENDA

1. Convene regular meeting

2. Confirm meeting officially warned

3. Approve minutes from the meeting on September 1, 2009.

4. CHAIR’S REMARKS

5. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

6. SELECTBOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

7. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

8. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA

9. WATER SEWER COMMISSIONERS

A. Contract Approval – Utility Service Truck Bids – Steve Barrett

10. INTERNAL BUSINESS

A. “On the Job” DPW Safety Equipment Fund – John Leisenring
B. Contract Approval – Lease Bids – John Leisenring
C. Capital Improvement Fund – John Leisenring
D. Grant Approval - RERP FY11 Grant- Barbara Sondag
E. Grant Approval – Vermont Community Foundation Withington Fund – Carol Lolatte
F. Review Note for Highway Grader – John Leisenring
G. SBAP Loan – Fireworks Restaurant
H. SBAP Loan – Carbon Harvest Energy
I. Taxi Driver’s Permits – Renewals/Approvals

11. OLD/OTHER BUSINESS

A. Committee Assignments – Appointments

12. NEW BUSINESS

13. CORRESPONDENCE

14. MEETINGS

Charter Revision Commission – Public Forum
September 17, 2009 6:30pm
Marlboro Tech Center

Development Review Board
September 21, 2009 7:00pm
Selectboard Meeting Room Traffic Safety Committee
September 22, 2009 8:30am
Hanna Cosman Meeting Room

Conservation Commission
September 22, 2009 5:15pm
Hanna Cosman Meeting Room

Planning Commission
September 28, 2009 6:00pm
Selectboard Meeting Room

Charter Revision Commission
October 1, 2009 6:30pm
Hanna Cosman Meeting Room

Solid Waste Committee
October 6, 2009 1:00pm
Hanna Cosman Meeting Room

Selectboard Meeting
October 6, 2009 6:15pm
Selectboard Meeting Room

15. ADJOURNMENT

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The following will summarize those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday September 15, 2009 Selectboard Meeting. The regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room. The public is encouraged to attend. A special meeting will begin at 5:00 pm to interview applicants for the WWTP Citizens Review Committee.

Conduct Interviews with applicants for the WWTP Citizens Review Committee.

9A. Contract Approval – Utility Service Truck Bids. The Board is asked to award a contract for the purchase of a Utility Service Truck. The Department of Public Works solicited bids for a new Utilities Division Service Truck. There were five bids received. We currently had $42,000 budgeted for this purchase. DPW is recommended accepting the low bid from Don Lorenz Inc, GMC in the amount of $35,335.99.

Requested Action: To award a contract in the amount of $35,335.99 for the purchase of a new Utilities Division Service Truck from the low bidder, Don Lorenz, Inc, GMC.

10A. DPW Safety Equipment Fund– “On the Job”. A book written by Wayne Carhart and Charles Fish about the operations of the Public Works Department has been published and is available for purchase. The cost of production was funded by the chamber of Commerce, The Thomas Thompson Trust, and the Windham Foundation. The authors have requested that 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the DPW for the purchase of work related items for DPW.

Requested Action: To accept and appropriate all proceeds from the sale of the book “On the Job” for the restricted purpose of purchasing work related items for the Public Works Department.

10B. Contract Approval–Lease Bids . During the budget process the decision was made to finance vehicles purchased in this fiscal year through a lease purchase contract. Bids were sought for a contract in the amount of $310,860. Finance Director John Leisenring reviewed the proposals and recommends that the lease contract be awarded to TD Equipment Finance.

Requested Action: To award the FY2011 equipment lease to TD Equipment Finance in the amount of $310,860 at the proposed interest cost of 3.5% per year, with 10 semi annual payments of $34,155.85.

10C. Capital Improvement Fund. At its August 18, 2009 meeting, the Board approved the FY090 carryover in the amount of $3,787 into the Capital Improvement Fund for use as working capital. There was an oversight on that report of $5,000 for a carry over balance of $8,787. The Board is asked to approve the additional amount of $5,000 to be carried over into the Capital Improvement Fund for use as working capital. Some of these funds will be used to complete the HVAC Project at the Brooks Memorial Library as approved at the September 1 meeting.

Requested Action: To approve the additional FY09 project carryover in the amount of $5,000 into the Capital Improvement Fund for use as working capital.

10D. Grant Application – RERP FY11 Grant. The Board is asked to review and provide feedback on the grant application for the FY11 RERP Grant. We are not seeking approval by the Board as there may be some changes based on an RERP meeting September 16. The final application is due September 30 and the Board will be asked to officially ratify the application on October 6.

Requested Action: None

10E. Grant Approval –Vermont Community Foundation Withington Fund. The Recreation Department is asking the Board to approve the application for a $75,000 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation Withington Fund. At the August 18, 2009 Carol Lolatte reported to the Board that she would be requesting $25,000 from the Withington Fund to help with the purchase of the heat exchanger/chiller barrel. The additional amount requested will be used over the next two years for the purchase of the dasher boards.

Requested Action: To approve the application for a $75,000 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation Withington Fund to purchase a heat exchanger and dasher boards for the Recreation Department.

10F. Review Note for Highway Grader. The Board is asked to award the Highway Grader Note Renewal in the amount of $35,000 to Chittenden Bank. The term will be for one year and is the final payment of this note. Treasurer Emilie Thomas requested bids for the renewal of the Highway Grader note. There were two bids received. The low bid was from Chittenden Bank in the amount of $35,000 with a 1 year interest in the amount of 2.50%.

Requested Action: To award the Highway Grader Note Renewal to Chittenden Bank in the amount of $35,000 at the proposed interest cost of 2.50% per year, with a term of one year.

10G. SBAP Loan – Fireworks Restaurant. Matthew Blau, owner of Fireworks Restaurant has requested a loan in the amount of $40,000 for the purpose of expansion into the space next door, creating additional seating, and waiting area and to expand into providing room for larger groups and private parties. This will create 5 full time jobs.

Requested Action: To approve a ten-year loan through the Small Business Administration Program in the amount of $40,000 at 1.25% interest to Mathew Blau owner of Fireworks Restaurant.

10H. SBAP Loan – Carbon Harvest. Carbon Harvest Energy, LLC has requested a loan in the amount of $40,000 for the purpose of acquiring, restoring and improving the existing landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Brattleboro landfill. The project also includes the design and building of a new heat and power generation plant, upgrade gas collection system, and the building of a $20,000 sq ft greenhouse. This will create approximately 8-10 jobs.

Requested Action: To approve a ten-year loan through the Small Business Administration Program in the amount of $40,000 at 1.25% interest to Carbon Harvest.

10I. Taxi Drivers Permits – Renewals/Approvals. The Board is asked to approve 5 taxi driver renewal applications and 1 new application. Background checks were done on each application with the VCIC, drivers’ licenses were run at the Brattleboro Police Department. Chief Gene Wrinn has reviewed all applications and corresponding documentation and has given his recommendation for approval of all applications.

Request Action: To approve the Taxi Driver License renewal applications for Kellie Poplawski, Benjamin Love, Thurly Tracey, Arvid Carlson, and Peter Capezza for the period of September 1, 2009 until August 31, 2010.

Requested Action: To approve the Taxi Driver License application for James LaValley for the period of September 1, 2009 until August 31, 2010.

11A. Committee Assignments - In your meeting on August 18, 2009 the Board created the WWTP Citizens Review Committee to consist of between 5 and 7 members to provide oversight on the WWTP upgrade. One seat would be reserved for a Selectboard member. A press release was issued and letters of interest have been received. We have had four letters of interest to date.

Requested Action: To interview and appoint members to the WWTP Citizens Review Committee.

Requested Action: To name one Selectboard Member to the WWTP Citizens Review Committee.