Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 1, 2013

West Brattleboro Fire Station will be knocked down and a new building built to replace it if the Brattleboro Selectboard accepts the recommendations of the Police-Fire Facility Project committee at next Tuesday’s regular meeting at the Municipal Center.

Also on the agenda: BASIC is returning to to ask for a new conceptual design to reduce the size and scope of the planned skatepark at the Crowell location, the ad hoc citizen Town Manager Search Committee will be appointed, firefighters will apply for a big, capital-saving grant to replace aging radios and breathing apparati, and the board will take a look at two suggested ordinance amendments.

You can attend in person or watch on TV. If you’d like to bring something up that isn’t on the agenda, there is time for that, too. You can read all about it here the morning after, too.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  The Board will conduct interviews of committee applicants starting at 5:15pm, and will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013
COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS – 5:15 PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING

2. APPROVE MINUTES

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. Educational Sampling Event Permit – Holiday Wine and Beer Tasting, Brattleboro Food Co-Op

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None.

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Police-Fire Facility Project – Update
B. Approve Grant Application – Assistance to Firefighters Grant, Fire Dept.
C. WE 90 Technology Drive Solar Electric Generation Facility
D. Skatepark (Wheel Friendly Park) – BASIC’s Request to Downsize Design
E. Appoint Committee Members – Town Manager Search Citizen Committee
F. Ordinance Amendment – First Reading, Appendix C, Art. III, Section 16-110 (On-Street Areas) Parking Meters on Linden Street, and Art. VII, Section 16-107 Handicapped Parking on Linden Street
G. Ordinance Amendment – First Reading, Appendix C, Art II, Section 16-101 Twenty Minute Parking on Elliot Street

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants

12. MEETINGS

See enclosed Town Calendar

13. ADJOURNMENT

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TO: Selectboard, September 26, 2013
FROM: Patrick Moreland, Interim Town Manager
SUBJECT: Administrative Report

The following will summarize the proposed motions for those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday, October 1, 2013 Selectboard Meeting. The meeting will begin at 5:15pm to conduct interviews for the Town Manager Search Citizen Committee. The regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONER

A. Educational Sampling Event Permit – Holiday Wine and Beer Tasting, Brattleboro Food Co-Op. The Board is asked to approve an Education Sampling Event Permit for the Brattleboro Food Co-Op for a holiday event to be held at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center at 10 Vernon Street, on Friday December 13, between 5:30pm and 8:00pm. The Brattleboro Food Co-Op is current on all licenses and taxes, and the application has been reviewed and approved by Brattleboro Police.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE AN EDUCATION SAMPLING EVENT PERMIT FOR THE BRATTLEBORO FOOD CO-OP FOR A HOLIDAY EVENT TO BE HELD AT THE BRATTLEBORO MUSEUM AND ART CENTER AT 10 VERNON STREET ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, BETWEEN 5:30PM AND 8:00PM.

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – NONE

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE.

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Police – Fire Facility Project – Update. The Police-Fire Facility Building Committee met on September 26 to review DEW’s very preliminary budget review. Owner’s Project Manager, Steve Horton, will be in attendance to discuss their findings and to update the Board on progress. At Horton’s direction, DEW examined the conceptual design from Black River Architects. In addition, following up on a recommendation from the committee, DEW was asked to consider if additions and renovations were the most cost effective approach to address the challenges faced at West Brattleboro Fire Station. After their initial review, DEW estimates that knocking down the existing building and proceeding with new construction would save several hundred thousand dollars. The committee unanimously recommends the Board consider this approach.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD

B. Approve Grant Application – Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant, Fire Department. The Board is asked to approve a grant application to FEMA, in the amount of $315,314.50 to purchase air packs and radios. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is highly competitive program that has supported Brattleboro in the past with a significant upgrade to our radio communication system. With this request the department is attempting to replace 34 pieces of aging fire safety breathing apparatus and 35 aging portable radios. Should the Town be fortunate enough to be awarded a grant, the funds would significantly offset known capital expenses.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $315,314.50 TO THE FEMA ASSISTANCE TO FIRE FIGHTERS GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF NEW AIR PACKS AND RADIOS.

C. WE 90 Technology Drive Solar Electric Generation Facility – Discussion The Board is in receipt of notification from the Public Service Board that a Certificate of Public Good may be issued by the Board without a public hearing, if the Board does not receive written correspondence from persons wishing to raise significant issues with respect to the substantive criteria outlined in 30 VSA, Section 248. Planning Director Rod Francis will be in attendance to assist with a discussion of the potential response opportunities that the Board may consider.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD

D. Skatepark (Wheel Friendly Park) – BASIC’s Request to Downsize Design. The Board is in receipt of correspondence from BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming Committee) Chair, Jeff Clarke. The letter notifies the Board of BASIC’s intention to reduce the size and scope of the proposed skatepark at the Crowell Lot. In the letter, BASIC is seeking a response at the meeting to their request for a new conceptual design for the park.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD

E. Appoint Committee Members – Town Manager Search Citizen Committee. The Board constituted the new Town Manager Citizen Search Committee at its meeting on September 17 and provided it with a specific charge. Applicants were required to submit applications by 5:00pm on Thursday, September 26. Nine applications were received and interviews will be conducted prior to the October 1 Selectboard meeting, starting at 5:15pm. The Board is asked to appoint five members to sit on the Committee. No applications were received for other Town Committees.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD

F. Ordinance Amendment – First Reading, Appendix C, Art III, Section 16-110 (On-Street Areas) – Parking Meters on Linden Street, and Art. VII, Section 16-107 (Handicapped Parking) on Linden Street. On January 17, 2012, the Board approved installing parking meters and handicapped parking on Linden Street to accommodate the State’s request as part of its building renovation project. The renovation project is complete and the State’s offices have been relocated back into the State Building. The two-hour parking meters were only intended as a temporary measure during the renovations. Two handicapped parking areas were also installed as part of the renovation project. If approved, the ordinance amendment will eliminate two handicapped parking spaces on the north side of the crosswalk. Three handicapped parking spaces on the south side of the crosswalk will remain.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE.

G. Ordinance Amendment – First Reading, Appendix C, Art. II, Section 16-101, Twenty Minute Parking on Elliot Street. The Board is asked to hold a first reading of an ordinance amendment. Two businesses at 154 and 148 Elliot Street have asked that the twenty minute parking restriction area be changed because their business activities typically last slightly more than an hour and the twenty minute limited parking adjacent to their property works against their business operations.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE.

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