Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 21, 2014

It is agenda setting time for the Brattleboro Selectboard, and Tuesday’s regular meeting will result in a slate of issues for Town Meeting and Representative Town Meeting to consider, including a 1% local option tax, transfer of skating rink funds not used, taking money from the Unassigned Fund Balance to apply toward tax relief for 2015, and repurposing of agricultural land protection funds to apply toward tax relief in 2015.

The board will get a request from SeVEDS for about $36,000. They will also approve a liquor license for Brattleboro’s newest pizza restaurant and sign off on an FY15 General Fund budget of $16,284,625 and a Capital plan budget of $1,380,475.

If there’s something you’d like to bring up that isn’t on the agenda you can raise the issue during public participation. Feel free to attend in person at the Municipal Center, watch on BCTV, and read the summary here on Wednesday.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 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 personnel, contractual and litigation matters. The Board will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.

ASL interpreters will be available for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:00PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – December 3, December 7
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. First Class Liquor License – Delta Pie Brattleboro LLC, d/b/a Ramuntos Brick Oven Pizza of Brattleboro

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Financial Report – Monthly Report
B. Approve Disbursement of Funds – Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS)
C. Adopt Resolution –Windham & Windsor Housing Trust
D. Annual Appointments – Town Attorney, Treasurer and Town Clerk
E. Representative Town Meeting Article – American Legion Little League Field
F. Town Meeting Article – Adoption of Local Options Tax, Non-Binding Australian Ballot to Voters
G. Representative Town Meeting Article – Adoption of Local Options Tax, Australian Ballot to Representative Town Meeting Members
H. Representative Town Meeting Article – Transfer Skating Rink Funds
I. Representative Town Meeting Article – Appropriate Unassigned Fund Balance to Reduce the Tax Levy
J. Representative Town Meeting Article – Reconsider Article (Agricultural Land Protection Fund)
K. FY15 Budget – Approve

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports

12. MEETINGS

See enclosed Town Calendar

13. ADJOURNMENT

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TO: Selectboard January 16, 2014
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, January 21, 2014 Selectboard Meeting. It is anticipated that the Board will meet in executive session beginning at 5:00pm to discuss a contract matter, personnel matter and potential litigation, and the regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. Approve First Class Liquor License – Delta Pie Brattleboro LLC, d/b/a Ramuntos Brick Oven Pizza of Brattleboro. The Board is asked to approve a first class liquor license for David Ingerman and Michael Onorato for Ramuntos Brick Oven Pizza of Brattleboro, located to 1111 Putney Road. There are no outstanding fees or taxes, and they possess a current business license. The application has been reviewed and approved by Brattleboro Police and Brattleboro Fire.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A FIRST CLASS LIQUOR LICENSE FOR DELTA PIE BRATTLEBORO, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS RAMUNTOS BRICK OVEN PIZZA OF BRATTLEBORO, LOCATED AT 1111 PUTNEY ROAD.

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – NONE

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Financial Report – Monthly Report. Finance Director John O’Connor will update the board.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE

B. Approve Disbursement of Funds – Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS). Representatives from the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies will come before the Board to request that the Town contribute $36,147 from its VCDP Program Income account to assist with implementation of regional economic development strategies. SeVEDS is making similar request to towns across the region. SeVEDS is pleased to be able to offer the board copies of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which was recently submitted to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for approval. A CEDS documents the economic conditions of the region, outlines specific strategies, and presents a list of prioritized economic development investment opportunities that is publically vetted, geared towards the approved strategies and ranked in order of importance.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE USING $36,147 FROM THE TOWN’S VCDP PROGRAM INCOME TO ASSIST SOUTHEASTERN VERMONT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.

C. Adopt Resolution – Windham & Windsor Housing Trust. The Board is asked to designate the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust as a nonprofit community development organization. This resolution is a customary procedure required by the Vermont Community Development Program for sub-grant recipients engaged in the management of community loan funds, as is the case with the recent grant from VCDP.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED DESIGNATING WINDHAM AND WINDSOR HOUSING TRUST A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.

D. Annual Appointments – Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Town Attorney. The Board is asked to make a series of annual appointments that will be ratified at Representative Town Meeting in March. The board is asked to appoint Annette Cappy as Town Clerk. The board is asked to appoint John O’Connor as Treasurer. The board is asked to appoint Fisher & Fisher as Town Attorneys.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPOINT ANNETTE CAPPY AS TOWN CLERK, JOHN O’CONNOR AS TREASURER, AND FISHER & FISHER AS TOWN ATTORNEY FOR A TERM BEGINNING 3-23-2014 THROUGH 3-21-2015.

E. Representative Town Meeting Article – American Legion Little League Field. The Board is asked to consider including an article on the warning for Representative Town Meeting exempting the American Legion Little League Field of the municipal portion of their property tax. A similar request made the warning two years ago asking for a four year exemption, but was amended from the floor and approved for two years. The property is assessed at $99,040, with a municipal tax of $1,127.97, and a state education tax of $1,415.97.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE TO THE WARNING FOR REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING IN MARCH OF 2014, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL VOTE TO EXEMPT AMERICAN LEGION LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD FROM ITS MUNICIAPL PORTION OF TAXES ON ITS LAND AND BUILDINGS AT 12 OAK GROVE AVENUE, BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT, FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FROM APRIL 1, 2014.

F. Town Meeting Article – Adoption of Local Option Sales Tax, Non Binding Australian Ballot to Voters. The board is asked to review and approve the following article for the ballot on election day.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE TO THE TOWN MEETING WARNING FOR A NON BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON MARCH 4, 2014, “SHOULD THE TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF POLICE FIRE FACILITY RENOVATIONS BY ADOPTING A 1% LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX”.

G. Representative Town Meeting Article – Adoption of Local Option Sales Tax, Australian Ballot to Representative Town Meeting Members. The board is asked to review and approve the following article for the warning for Representative Town Meeting.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FOR THE WARNING FOR REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING IN MARCH OF 2014, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL ASSESS A ONE PERCENT (1%) LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX IN ACCORDANCE WITH 24 V.S.A. SECTION 138”.

H. Representative Town Meeting Article – Transfer Skating Rink Funds. The board is asked to review and approve the following article for the warning for Representative Town Meeting.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FOR THE WARNING FOR REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING IN MARCH, 2014, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL VOTE TO TRANSFER $310,540 FROM THE CAPITAL FUND (BEING THE UNSPENT FUNDS ALLOCATED TO REPAIRS AT THE NELSON WITHINGTON SKATING RINK) FROM CAPITAL FUNDS TO THE GENERAL FUND”.

I. Representative Town Meeting Article – Appropriate Unassigned Fund Balance to Reduce the Tax Levy The board is asked to consider the following article for the warning for Representative Town Meeting. The board has an establish guideline of maintaining an unassigned fund balance of 10% for unforeseen or emergency expenses. As of June 30, 2013, the unassigned fund balance stood at $1,712,852.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FOR THE WARNING FOR REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING IN MARCH OF 2014, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF __________ FROM UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2013 TO REDUCE THE TAX LEVY.

J. Representative Town Meeting Article – Reconsider Article (Agricultural Land Protection Fund). At the regular meeting of the Selectboard on 12/3/13, the board approved a motion for repurposing the funds in the agricultural land protection fund. At the request of the chair and vice chair, the board is asked to reconsider this article. Should the board elect to reconsider the article, a new potential motion is offered.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO RECONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE ADDED TO REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING ON 12/3/13, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL APPROVE THE REPURPOSING OF THE AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION FUND FOR FISCAL 15 TAX RELIEF.”

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FOR THE WARNING FOR REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING IN MARCH OF 2014, “TO SEE IF THE TOWN WILL APPROVE THE REPURPOSING OF THE FUNDS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL LAND PROTECTION FUND TO ESTABLISH AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND WITH THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $50,000 AND TO APPROPRIATE THE ACCRUED INTEREST IN THE AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION FUND TO REDUCE THE FY15 TAX LEVY.”

K. FY15 Budget – Approve. The board is asked to approve the FY15 budget for presentation to Representative Town Meeting.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE FOR PLACEMENT ON THE WARNING AND PRESENTATION AT REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING, THE FISCAL YEAR 2015 GENERAL FUND BUDGET WITH REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,284,625 AND TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2015 CAPITAL PLAN WITH EXPENDITURES OF $1,380,475 AND REVENUE OF $828,585.90 ($440,858.90 FROM GRANTS, $100,000 FROM DONATIONS, $288,000 FROM LOANS, AND A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF $551,616.10).