Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 20, 2020

The Brattleboro Selectboard will have a first reading of an ordinance to limit upfront rental costs at their next regular meeting, which will be held on 10-20-2020. (And probably end at 10:20.)

Police cars will be purchased, health insurance will be renewed, leases will be extended, grants will be applied for, and the skatepark committee will be disbanded now that their work is through. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

….

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, on Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19).   The Board is expected to enter into executive session at 5:45pm to discuss the negotiation of a real estate purchase or lease, and will reconvene the regular business meeting at 6:15pm.  The attached agenda and administrative report contain information about how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  Information about how to connect to the meeting is also posted on the homepage of the Town’s website.  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

 

Jan Anderson

Executive Secretary

Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office

230 Main Street, Suite 208

Brattleboro, VT  05301

(802) 251-8100

 

BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2020 

EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:45PM 

REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM 

NOTE: This meeting will be held with no physical location using Zoom. 

Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659 

Passcode: 12261753 

You also can call in using your telephone by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States: 

833-548-0282 

877-853-5247 

888-788-0099 

833-548-0276 

or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers 

for locations around the world using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA 

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is: 

860 6789 2659 

The meeting will be carried live on BCTV: 

On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10 

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream 

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/ 

AGENDA 

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING 

2. APPROVE MINUTES – September 22 and October 6 

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS 

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS 

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS 

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS – None 

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None 

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. Ordinance Regulating Housing Lease Deposits and Creating a Housing Board of Review – Chapter 8 (Health, Sanitation and Fire Safety Inspections), Article 5 (Rental Housing Security Deposits), First Reading 

10. NEW BUSINESS 

A. VCDP Grant for Groundworks Collaborative’s 54-60 South Main Street Project (i) Accept and Appropriate Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) Grant (ii) Adopt Grant Agreement Resolution (iii) Authorize Town Manager to Execute Grant Agreement and Other Documents 

B. Sustainability Update and Workplan 

C. Community Marketing Initiative –  Downtown Brattleboro Alliance & Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce 

D. Authorization to Purchase Police Vehicles 

E. Appoint Interim Town Treasurer to Bid on Behalf of the Town at the Upcoming Tax Sale 

F. Employee Health Insurance Program – Renewal for Calendar Year 2021 

G. One-Year Extension of Experienced Goods’ Lease at the Brattleboro Transportation Center 

H. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Grant – Authorization to Apply 

I. Vermont Department of Libraries Courier Grant – Accept and Appropriate 

J. Boards and Committees (i) Disband BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming) (ii) Appointment of Alternate to the Development Review Board 

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI 

A. Warrants 

B. Department Monthly Reports 

12. MEETINGS 

See Town Calendar 

13. ADJOURNMENT 

 MEMORANDUM 

To: Selectboard 

From: Peter B. Elwell, Town Manager 

Re: Administrative Report 

Date: October 16, 2020 

 ———-

The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The Board will meet in executive session at 5:45pm to discuss the negotiation of a real estate purchase or lease. The Board will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm on Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19). 

The public may join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659 

Passcode: 12261753 

You also can call in using your telephone 

by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States: 

833-548-0282 

877-853-5247 

888-788-0099 

833-548-0276 

or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers 

for locations around the world using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA 

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is: 

860 6789 2659 

The meeting will be carried live on BCTV: 

On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10 

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream 

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/ 

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. Ordinance Regulating Housing Lease Deposits and Creating a Housing Board of Review –  Chapter 8 (Health, Sanitation and Fire Safety Inspections), Article 5 (Rental Housing Security Deposits), First Reading The Board is asked to hold a first reading on a proposed Ordinance amendment to Chapter 8 of the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances that would limit the amount of up-front payments required from tenants to occupy a rental housing unit. The Board originally heard this matter as a request from members of the Tenants’ Union of Brattleboro (TUB) on September 1 and October 6. At the October 6 meeting, the Board modified the language of TUB’s proposed ordinance and expressed its intent to consider the ordinance on first reading on October 20. If the Board moves forward with no substantive changes to the proposed ordinance, then the matter will be scheduled for second reading and public hearing on November 3.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM. 

10. NEW BUSINESS 

A. VCDP Grant for Groundworks Collaborative’s 54-60 South Main Street Project (i) Accept and Appropriate Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) Grant (ii) Adopt Grant Agreement Resolution (iii) Authorize Town Manager to Execute Grant Agreement and Other Documents The Board is asked to accept and appropriate the sum of $450,000 from the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) for Groundworks Collaborative’s 54-60 South Main Street Project, as set forth in the memorandum dated October 13, 2020, from Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland. The Board also is asked to adopt the related Grant Agreement Resolution and to authorize Town Manager Elwell to execute the Grant Agreement and all other associated documents necessary for the performance of the grant funded activities. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE GRANT AGREEMENT RESOLUTION FOR GROUNDWORKS COLLABORATIVE’S 54-60 SOUTH MAIN STREET PROJECT, TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF $450,000 FROM THE VERMONT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND TO AUTHORIZE TOWN MANAGER ELWELL TO EXECUTE THE GRANT AGREEMENT AND ALL OTHER ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES. 

B. Sustainability Update and Workplan Sustainability Coordinator Stephen Dotson will present a summary of his work during the first 8 months of this newly created position, as well as a look ahead to the projects and priorities on the near and longer term horizon. A written summary of that report is included in the backup materials for this meeting. 

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM. 

C. Community Marketing Initiative – Downtown Brattleboro Alliance & Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce  At Representative Town Meeting (RTM) on March 23, 2019, RTM Members appropriated funds from the Unassigned General Fund Balance for joint marketing of Brattleboro by the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA). The following year, funds for this marketing initiative were included in the FY21 budget. Members from BACC and/or DBA will provide a presentation about the project. They are not asking for any action to be taken nor seeking any additional funding at this time. 

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM. 

D. Authorization to Purchase Police Vehicles The Board is asked to approve the purchase of two vehicles for the Police Department, utilizing the State of Vermont contract with Formula Ford, of Montpelier, Vermont, as set forth in the memorandum dated September 25, 2020, from Captain Mark Carignan. The vehicle requested as a replacement police cruiser is a 2021 Ford Explorer Interceptor (hybrid) for $37,163, less a trade-in amount of $4,000, for a total vehicle cost of $33,163. The replacement vehicle requested for the Criminal Investigative Division (CID) is a 2021 Ford Explorer Interceptor (gas only) for a cost of $33,115, less a trade-in amount of $1,500, for a total cost of $31,615. Both vehicles will require additional costs to upfit them with specific police-related equipment. That upfit will be separately bid and then presented to the Board for approval at a future meeting. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE FROM FORMULA FORD OF MONTPELIER, VERMONT, OF A 2021 FORD EXPLORER INTERCEPTOR (HYBRID) FOR A TOTAL VEHICLE COST OF $33,163 AND A 2021 FORD EXPLORER INTERCEPTOR (GAS ONLY) FOR THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION FOR A TOTAL VEHICLE COST OF $31,615. 

E. Appoint Interim Town Treasurer to Bid on Behalf of the Town at the Upcoming Tax Sale The Board is asked to authorize Interim Town Treasurer Deborah Desrosiers to submit bid(s) on behalf of the Town at the upcoming tax sale, if needed, as set forth in the memorandum dated October 14, 2020, from Town Attorney Robert Fisher. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE INTERIM TOWN TREASURER DEBORAH DESROSIERS TO SUBMIT BID(S) ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN AT THE UPCOMING TAX SALE. 

F. Employee Health Insurance Program – Renewal for Calendar Year 2021 The Board is asked to approve the renewal of the Town’s Employee Health Insurance Program for calendar year 2021, as described in the memorandum dated October 14, 2020, from Town Manager Peter Elwell. The total cost and coverages are the same as last year. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE TOWN’S EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2021, AS PRESENTED. 

G. One-Year Extension of Experienced Goods’ Lease at the Brattleboro Transportation Center The Board is asked to approve the one-year lease extension for Experienced Goods for commercial space in the Brattleboro Transportation Center located at 77 Flat Street. The lease extension is for the period from February 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022, at a rental rate of $3,000 per month, as set forth in a memorandum dated October 13, 2020, from Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A ONE-YEAR LEASE EXTENSION FOR EXPERIENCED GOODS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE IN THE BRATTLEBORO TRANSPORTATION CENTER LOCATED AT 77 FLAT STREET, COVERING THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2021, THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2022, AT A RENTAL RATE OF $3,000 PER MONTH. 

H. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Grant – Authorization to Apply 

The Board is asked to approve the Planning Department’s application for a $200,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pay for continuing the municipal Brownfield’s Program, as set forth in the memorandum dated October 14, 2020, from Planning Director Sue Fillion. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT’S APPLICATION FOR A $200,000 BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT GRANT 

FROM THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO PAY FOR CONTINUING THE MUNICIPAL BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM. 

I. Vermont Department of Libraries Courier Grant – Accept and Appropriate The Board is asked to accept and appropriate the FY21 Loan Courier Grant in the amount of $520 from the Vermont Department of Libraries to pay for interlibrary courier services. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE THE FY21 LOAN COURIER GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $520 FROM THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES. 

J. Boards and Committees (i) Disband BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming) (ii) Appointment of Alternate to the Development Review Board Now that Perseverance Skatepark has opened, the BASIC Committee (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming) asks the Board to disband BASIC as of October 31, 2020. The Board also is asked to appoint Gary Stroud as an Alternate to the Development Review Board. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO DISBAND THE BASIC COMMITTEE (BRATTLEBORO AREA SKATEPARK IS COMING) AS OF OCTOBER 31, 2020, AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMITTEE. 

POTENTIAL NOMINATION: GARY STROUD AS AN ALTERNATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD. 

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