Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 19, 2013

Brattleboro’s historic train station is up for discussion again at the next Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. Fulcrum Arts has abandoned their plans for the space, taking the board back to planning how best to use the building.

The Brooks House team is expected to ask the board for a tax stabilization agreement, the board will consider the nearly $5 million FY14 Utilities budget which includes an over-$635,000 deficit There will also be multiple grants from Homeland Security for more training and equipment, annual liquor and tobacco licenses will be renewed and more.

You can watch it all on TV or attend in person at the Municipal Center on Main Street. If you do go, you can bring up other issues not on the agenda during Public Participation and speak to anything on the agenda.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss a contract matter, and reconvene the regular meeting at 6:15pm.

Jan Anderson 

Executive Secretary 

Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office 

(802) 251-8100

….

BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:30PM

REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM

AGENDA


1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING

2. APPROVE MINUTES – March 5, March 7, March 13

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

5. SELECTBOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. Liquor and Tobacco Licenses – Renewals

B. Special Event Permit – Saxtons River Distillery, Spell Check Event

C. First Class Liquor License – Vermont Inn Pizza

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS

A. WWTP – Monthly Report from Hoyle Tanner

B. WWTP – Monthly Financial Update

C. FY14 Utilities Budget – Approval

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Financial Report – Monthly Report

B. Tax Stabilization Agreement – Brooks House, Mesabi, Inc.

C. Approve Grant Application – HSU Swift Water Equipment Grant, Fire Dept.

D. Accept and Appropriate Grants – 3 Homeland Security Grants, Fire Dept

E. Accept and Appropriate Grant Amendment – Brattleboro Community Justice Center

F. Adopt Town Road and Bridge Standards – VTrans, Public Works

G. Union Station Park Rail Building

H. Assignment of Motions – Representative Town Meeting

I. Schedule Special Meeting – Organizational Meeting, 3/25/13, 6:15pm

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants

B. Department Monthly Reports

12. MEETINGS

See enclosed Town Calendar

13. ADJOURNMENT

TO: Selectboard March 14, 2013

FROM: Barbara Sondag, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Administrative Report

The following will summarize the proposed motions for those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday, March 19, 2013 Selectboard Meeting. The meeting will be convened at 5:30pm and it is anticipated that the Board will enter executive session to discuss a contractual matter. The regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. Liquor and Tobacco Licenses – Renewals The Board is asked to approve the list of Liquor and Tobacco License renewals for 2013. The list of sixty-three establishments selling first and/or second and/or tobacco identifies any violations over the last year. This is the first set of renewals since the May 2012 adoption of the Liquor License Criteria. I have included these criteria in your packets.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE LIST OF ESTABLISHMENTS REQUESTING ANNUAL RENEWAL OF LIQUOR AND TOBACCO LICENSES.

B. Special Event Permit – Saxtons River Distillery, Spell Check Event The Board is asked to approve a Special Event Permit for Saxtons River Distillery LLC for a tasting bar in the lobby of the Latchis Theater from 5pm until 11pm on Saturday, April 6 to coincide with the Spell Check event.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FOR SAXTONS RIVER DISILLERY LLC, 485 WEST RIVER ROAD, FOR A TASTING BAR IN THE LOBBY OF THE LATCHIS THEATER FROM 5PM UNTIL 11PM ON SATURDAY APRIL 6 TO COINCIDE WITH THE SPELL CHECK EVENT.

C. First Class Liquor License – Vermont Inn Pizza The Board is asked to approve a First Class Liquor License to Vermont Inn Pizza, 460 Canal Street. It was discovered during the normal renewal process that the owner on record, Stratos Livanis, was no longer involved in the business. His wife, Giota Livanis has been operating the business. Mrs. Livanis will not be able to attend the Board meeting, but both Town Clerk Annette Cappy and I are comfortable with the Board approving this license as Mrs. Livanis has been successfully operating the business for several years.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A FIRST CLASS LIQUOR LICENSE FOR VERMONT INN PIZZA, 460 CANAL STREET.

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS

A. WWTP – Monthly Report from Hoyle Tanner The Board is in receipt of the monthly report from Hoyle Tanner on progress of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Plant improvements are 99.5% complete, while the Spring Tree Pump Station is 29% complete.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

B. WWTP – Monthly Financial Update Finance Director John O’Connor will update the Board on the finances associated with the Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

C. FY14 Utilities Budget – Approval The Board is asked to approve the FY14 Utility budget. The budget has total revenues of $4,914,976 and expenditures of $5,550,800. The deficit of $635,624 is due to the depreciation of $2,307,500. When presented on a cash bases the fund has a surplus that will be used for future debt payments. As discussed at the Selectboard’s special meeting, the fund is on target with current rate projections. FY14 is the last year of the five-year rate schedule.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE FY14 UTILITIES BUDGET WITH REVENUES OF $4,914,976 AND EXPENDITURES OF $5,550,800.

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Financial Report – Monthly Report Finance Director John O’Connor will present the financials for the period ending February 28, 2013.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

B. Tax Stabilization Agreement – Brooks House, Mesabi, Inc. It is anticipated that the Board will approve a Tax Stabilization Agreement with Mesabi, LLC. At the time of this writing the final details of the agreement are still in discussion.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE TAX STABILIZATION AGREEMENT AS PRESENTED BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO AND MESABI, LLC.

C. Approve Grant Application – HSU Swift Water Equipment Grant, Fire Dept. The Board is asked to approve a grant application in the amount of $17,492.40 for a Homeland Security Equipment Grant to purchase protective and safety equipment for swift water rescues. Chief Bucossi has prepared a memo detailing the equipment. There is no local match required on this grant.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A GRANT APPLICATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,492.40 FOR A HOMELAND SECURITY EQUIPMENT GRANT TO PURCHASE SWIFT WATER RESCUE EQUIPMENT.

D. Accept and Appropriate Grants – 3 Homeland Security Grants, Fire Dept The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a grant from Vermont Homeland Security. While the Town had applied for three separate training grants, Vermont Homeland Security combined the applications into one grant award. The total award of $10,747.23 is for a swift water rescue refresher training ($6,574.61), a swift water rescue training in Hartford ($2,041.88) and an Incident Command Training ($2,130.74).

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A $10,747.23 GRANT FROM VERMONT HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THREE SEPARATE TRAININGS.

E. Accept and Appropriate Grant Amendment – Brattleboro Community Justice Center The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a grant amendment in the amount of $8,000 from the State of Vermont, Department of Corrections to supplement the Justice Center programs and services.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE AN $8,000 GRANT AMENDMENT FROM THE STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO FUND THE BRATTLEBORO JUSTICE CENTER.

F. Adopt Town Road and Bridge Standards – VTrans, Public Works The Board is asked to adopt the State Town Road and Bridge Standards. These standards address construction, repair, and maintenance of all town roads and bridges. Superintendent Hannah O’Connell has reviewed the new standards, has found no significant changes, and recommends Board adoption.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE 2013 STATE TOWN ROAD AND BRIDGE STANDARDS.

G. Union Station Park Rail Building In 2012 the Board sought proposals for re-use of the Railroad building at Union Station Park. Two bids were received and the Board began negotiating reuse of the building with Fulcrum Arts. However, Fulcrum Arts since decided to withdraw from the project. The Board will begin discussion of next possible steps.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

H. Assignment of Motions – Representative Town Meeting The Board will receive assignments for the reading of motions at Representative Town Meeting.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

I. Schedule Special Meeting – Organizational Meeting, 3/25/13, 6:15pm The Board is asked to schedule a special meeting on March 25 at 6:15pm with the purpose of swearing in new Board members and electing officers.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

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