Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 15 and 18, 2013

The Brattleboro Selectboard will have another discussion about the PACE program with at their next regular Tuesday meeting. This discussion will focus on adopting the program guidelines.

The board will continue their discussions about negotiations with the Waste Water Treatment Plant contractor, PC, over unapproved change orders, and will hear about the results of the environmental review of the plans for the Black Mountain gravity sewer.

A number of grants will be approved and/or accepted and spent, including a Windham and Windsor Housing Trust grant, and funds for fixing the retaining wall on Washington Street. The Police would also like to apply for a last-minute grant to help prevent terrorism – by getting new radio and dispatch equipment. There will also be second readings of ordinance changes to parking on Elliot and Linden Streets.

You can attend in person or watch on BCTV. If you go, you can speak to any issue, and bring up other topics not on the agenda during public participation. Full coverage here, too, the very next day.

….

“The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular business meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, October 18, 2013 at 5:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:00pm to discuss a personnel matter.

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

……

BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING

2. APPROVE MINUTES – September 30, October 1

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERSNone

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Report from Hoyle Tanner
B. Black Mountain Road Gravity Sewer – Environmental Review Public Hearing for Finding of No Significant Impact
C. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Financial Report

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESSNone

10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Monthly Financial Report
B. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program – Discussion
C. Adopt Resolution – Windham-Windsor Housing Trust VCDP Scattered Site Grant
D. Accept and Appropriate Grant – Washington Street Retaining Wall Structures Grant, Public Works
E. Accept and Appropriate Grant – Bulletproof Vest Partnership, Police Dept.
F. Approve Grant Application – HSGP Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, Police Dept.
G. Accept and Appropriate Grant Amendment – Second Chance Grant, Brattleboro Community Justice Center
H. Ordinance Amendment – Second Reading and Public Hearing, 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
I. Ordinance Amendment – Second Reading and Public Hearing, Appendix C, Art II, Section 16-101 Twenty Minute Parking on Elliot Street
J. Appoint Tax Collector
K. Committee Vacancy – Energy Committee and other committees
L. Approve Petition and Order for Pole and Wire – Telephone Operating Co of VT LLC

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports

12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar

13. ADJOURNMENT

….

TO: Selectboard October 9, 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 15, 2013 Selectboard Meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:15pm.

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONER – NONE

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS
A. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Report. The Board is in receipt of the monthly report from Hoyle Tanner and Associates regarding the Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade. Negotiations with PC continue on a series of change orders, none of which have been approved by either Hoyle Tanner or the Town of Brattleboro. In the past month work has been focused on start up, testing and optimization of the 2 phase digestion process, along with additional improvements to the SCADA monitoring and control system.
Spring Tree Pump Station is substantially complete, with only a few punch list items remaining. The proposed gravity sewer line for Black Mountain now has a final design; work is progressing on easements, permitting and environmental review.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

B. Black Mountain Road Gravity Sewer – Environmental Review Public Hearing for a Finding of No Significant Impact. At the onset of the WWTP project, a required environmental review was conducted based on the project design. The result of the review led to a Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI). Since that time, the project at Black Mountain has been adjusted from a standard pump station design to a gravity based design, resulting in significant savings over time due to reduced energy costs and equipment replacement that will no longer be needed. As a result of this revision, the Board is asked to hold a public hearing for the new FNSI associated with the gravity design. Lynette Whitney from the Agency of Natural Resources will be in attendance for the hearing.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE


C. WWTP and Pump Stations – Monthly Financial Report. The Board is in receipt of the monthly financials associated with the Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade. Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to speak with the Board.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE.

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Monthly Financial Report – Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to update the Board. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

B. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program – Discussion. On March 23, 2013 Representative Town Meeting voted to designate the Town of Brattleboro as a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Special Assessment District. The program is intended to enable participating property owners within the district to access funding for eligible energy
efficiency and renewable energy projects and then pay back the cost as a regular municipal assessment on the owners’ property tax bill, as provided for by 24 VSA Chapter 87, Section 3261. The intended design of the program would have little to no impact on municipal operations because it will be run by VEIC (Efficiency Vermont) on behalf of participating towns. To enjoy the benefits of VEIC’s management of the program, towns are expected to adopt the program guidelines provided by VEIC. At the present time, there are significant legal and accounting concerns that arise from proposed language. Staff and legal counsel continue to confer other participating communities, VEIC, our auditors, and Vermont’s bond counsel in an effort to resolve these concerns. Town Attorney Robert Fisher and Finance Director John O’Connor will be present to advise the Board.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

C. Adopt Resolution – Windham & Windsor Housing Trust VCDP Scattered Site Grant. The Board is asked to adopt the resolution in support of Windham & Windsor Housing Trust scattered site rehabilitation loan program. The Town of Brattleboro is the applicant to the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP), and WWHT will be the subgrantee. WWHT will manage the loan program across both Windham and Windsor counties.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION FOR VCDP GRANT APPLICATION AUTHORITY.

D. Accept and Appropriate Grant – Washington Street Retaining Wall Structures Grant, Department of Public Works. The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a grant in the amount of $164,700 from the VT Agency of Transportation to replace the Washington Street retaining wall and sidewalk. As you may recall, the Washington Street retaining wall scheduled for replacement in the FY 15 capital plan. However the wall failed a year ahead of that schedule. This scenario may become more common in the future if capital spending remains flat while our infrastructure continues to age. The Board will recall that the Department of Public Works applied for and was awarded a Structures grant. However, while examining the record, we discovered that the Board had not formally accepted and appropriated the funds.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $164,700 FROM THE VT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION TO REPLACE THE WASHINGTON STREET RETAINING WALL AND SIDEWALK.

E. Accept and Appropriate Grant –Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant, Police Department The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a Bulletproof Vest Grant in the amount of $1,556.14 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The funds, matched dollar for dollar from the Capital Improvement Fund, will support the purchase of 4 new armored vests.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A BULLETPROOF VEST GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,556.14 FROM THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE TO PURCHASE ARMORED VESTS.

F. Approve Grant Application – Homeland Security Grant Program Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, Police Department The Board is asked to approve a Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program Grant, in an estimated amount of $160,000, from the Homeland Security Grant program. If awarded the funds would be used to update radio and dispatch equipment that may offset planned expenses in the larger Police-Fire Facilities project. The dispatch console is estimated at $130,000, and so a meeting of the Capital Grants Review Committee is being scheduled.

The department learned of this opportunity from Homeland Security, but with very little notice. The completed application is due October 31, and with no remaining Board meeting between now and that date, we bring the application forward, knowing that the department has work remaining. The practice of asking the Board to approve grant applications serves to keep the Board informed. Should the grant be awarded, the Board will have the opportunity to review the findings from Capital Grants Review ahead of choosing to formally accept and appropriate the funds.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT TERRORISM PREVENTION GRANT APPLICATION TO THE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT RADIO AND DISPATCH SYSTEM UPGRADES.

G. Accept and Appropriate Grant – Vermont Department of Corrections, Brattleboro Community Justice Center The Board is asked to accept and appropriate a Second Chance Grant in the amount of $12,500 from the Vermont Department of Corrections. The funds are a supplementary appropriation from DOC to further support the offender re-entry work performed by BCJC.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE A SECOND CHANCE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,500 FROM THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO CONTINUE THEIR ONGOING OFFENDER RE-ENTRY WORK.

H. Ordinance Amendment – Second Reading and Public Hearing, 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: TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO APPENDIX C OF THE TOWN ORDINANCES AS PRESENTED.

I. Ordinance Amendment – Second Reading and Public Hearing, Appendix C, Art. II, Section 16-101, Twenty Minute Parking on Elliot Street. The Board is asked to hold a second reading and Public Hearing 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: TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO APPENDIX C OF THE TOWN ORDINANCES AS PRESENTED.

J. Appoint Tax Collector – The Board is asked to appoint Interim Town Manager, Patrick Moreland as the collector of delinquent taxes.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPOINT INTERIM TOWN MANAGER PATRICK MORELAND AS THE COLLECTOR OF DELINQUENT TAXES.

K. Committee Vacancy – Energy Committee and other committees. Tori Managan resigned from the Energy Committee. The Board is asked to announce that vacancy, as well as other committee vacancies.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE  

L. Pole Petition and Order for Pole and Wire – Telephone Operating Co. of VT (Fairpoint Communications). The Board is asked to approve a pole and wire petition from Fairpoint Communications on Black Mountain Road. Gary King, the engineering technician in the Department of Public Works, has reviewed the site and petition and finds no reason to object.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PETITION AND ORDER FOR POLE AND WIRE LOCATIONS FROM TELEPHONE OPERATING COMPANY OF VERMONT (FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS) AS PRESENTED.

….

BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013
SPECIAL MEETING – 5:00PM
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:00PM
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM
AGENDA

1. CONVENE MEETING
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Personnel Matter
3. ADJOURNMENT

Leave a Reply