Numerous opportunities for public comment exist at the next regular Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. Attend in person at the Municipal Center on Main Street to offer comment on plans to improve Western Avenue for bike riders and pedestrians in West Brattleboro, or to weigh in on the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust plans to rehab local buildings.
You can join the discussion of a large scale district heating plan, plans to get a grant to do brownfield studies in town, applications for special event permits, town finances, staffing levels, or anything else not on the agenda during Public Participation.
Watch it all on BCTV as it happens, then read about and discuss the meeting here after.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 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 contract matters, pending or probable civil litigation, and the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Board will reconvene the regular meeting at 6:15pm. The revised agenda and administrative report are attached.
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, NOVEMBER 18, 2014
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:30PM REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
REVISED AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – November 4
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS
A. Special Event Permit – Saxtons River Distillery, LLC
B. Special Event Permit – Whetstone Cider Works, LLC
C. Educational Sampling Event Permit – Brattleboro Food Co-Op, Inc.
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report, October
B. West Brattleboro Bicycle Pedestrian Scoping Study – Public Comment, Discussion, Department of Public Works
C. Staffing Level Review – Engineering Technician, Department of Public Works
D. Staffing Level Review – Water Treatment Division, Department of Public Works
E. Community Development Block Grant – Approve Resolution, Public Hearing, Windham & Windsor Housing Trust VCDP Implementation Grant
F. Approve Grant Application – Brownfields Assessment Grant, Planning Services
G. Presentation –Sustainable Energy Funding Program
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports
12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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TO: Selectboard November 13, 2014
FROM: Patrick Moreland, Interim Town Manager
SUBJECT: REVISED Administrative Report
The following will summarize the proposed motions for those items on the Agenda for the Tuesday, November 18, 2014 Selectboard Meeting. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss a personnel matter and two contract matters, one involving potential litigation. The regular meeting will begin at 6:15pm.
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS
A. Special Event Permit – Saxtons River Distillery, LLC. The Board is asked to approve a Special Event Permit for Saxtons River Distillery for an event at the Cotton Mill Studios, 74 Cotton Mill Hill, on Saturday, December 6, 9:00am to 7:00pm, and Sunday, December 7, 9:00am to 7:00pm. A Special Event Permit allows the manufacturer of spirits, malt or vinous beverages to sell their product by glass or in unopened containers. Manufacturers may also offer samples for the purpose of tasting. This special event is being coordinated with the Cotton Mill Open Studio Holiday Sale.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FOR SAXTONS RIVER DISTILLERY, LLC, FOR AN EVENT AT COTTON MILL STUDIOS, 74 COTTON MILL HILL ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 9:00AM TO 7:00 PM, AND ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 9:00AM TO 7:00PM.
B. Special Event Permit – Whetstone Cider Works, LLC. The Board is asked to approve a Special Event Permit for Whetstone Cider Works for an event at the Cotton Mill Studios, 74 Cotton Mill Hill, on Saturday, December 6, 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Sunday, December 7,10:00am to 4:00pm. A Special Event Permit allows the manufacturer of spirits, malt or vinous beverages to sell their product by glass or in unopened containers. Manufacturers may also offer samples for the purpose of tasting. This special event is being coordinated with the Cotton Mill Open Studio Holiday Sale.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FOR WHETSTONE CIDER WORKS, LLC, FOR AN EVENT AT COTTON MILL STUDIOS, 74 COTTON MILL HILL ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 10:00AM TO 6:00 PM, AND ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 10:00AM TO 4:00PM.
C. Educational Sampling Event Permit – Brattleboro Food Co-Op, Inc. The Board is asked to approve an Educational Sampling Event Permit for the Brattleboro Food Co-Op for the fourth annual Holiday Beer and Wine Tasting, to be held at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, on December 12, from 5:30pm until 8:00pm. An Education Sampling Permit allows a person or organization to host an event open to the public where alcoholic beverages are served for the purpose of marketing and education.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE AN EDUCATION SAMPLING PERMIT FOR THE BRATTLEBORO FOOD CO-OP, INC., FOR THEIR FOURTH ANNUAL HOLIDAY BEER AND WINE TASTING EVENT TO BE HELD AT THE BRATTLEBORO MUSEUM AND ART CENTER, ON DECEMBER 12, FROM 5:30PM TO 8:00PM.
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – None
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report, October, Finance Department. Finance Director John O’ Connor will discuss the financial report for the month ending October 31.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
B. West Brattleboro Bicycle Pedestrian Scoping Study – Public Comment, Discussion, Department of Public Works. In February of 2013, the Town of Brattleboro received a grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation to fund a scoping study for a specific portion of Western Avenue in west Brattleboro. The section, running from Academy School to Greenleaf, was identified in the grant application as being an area that could benefit from additional improvements to provide for safe pedestrian and bicyclist activity. The Selectboard awarded a contract to RSG of White River Junction, Vermont in November of 2013. A series of public meetings were held at the Academy School in March and May of 2014. Traffic Safety Committee recently reviewed and gave comment on the some of the improvements contemplated in the report. At this meeting, the public will have the opportunity to offer comment before the final report is completed. By accepting and endorsing the report, Brattleboro will have an easier time accessing state resources for future projects consistent with the recommendations in the report.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
C. Staffing Level Review – Engineering Technician, Department of Public Works. The Department of Public Works would like to begin moving forward with a plan to replace the Engineering Technician. A pending retirement will create a vacancy in this position. This is a one of a kind position within Brattleboro, and the correct candidate will require a background in engineering, mapping and geographic information systems, public water and waste water systems. The position is split funded between the Highway Division and the Utilities Division.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
D. Staffing Level Review – Water Treatment Division, Department of Public Works. The Department of Public Works plans to fill a vacancy in the Water Treatment Division, a function accounted for in the Utility Fund. The division is staffed at 4FTE, and has been operated at a reduced staffing for much of the last year, due to a significant percentage of staff turnover which occurred the previous year. All of the positions in the Water Treatment Division require state certification for operating a public water system. Obtaining certification is a highly technical, time-consuming activity. The two most recent hires are now certified, and the department is now in position to fill the last vacancy. Staffing the division has been a challenge over the last year.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
E. Community Development Block Grant – Approve Resolution, Public Hearing, Windham & Windsor Housing Trust VCDP Implementation Grant. The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) is seeking support from the Town of Brattleboro to submit a CDBG application on its behalf to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. The application would be for $425,000, loan that will be matched by nearly $2 Million in funds raised from other sources. The project involves rehabilitation of five Brattleboro properties already owned and maintained by WWHT. This will be the formal public hearing, and the Board is asked for a resolution to provide the Town with the authority to apply for CDBG funds. Also included in the packet is a memo from Russell Rice on the taxes collected by the Town for the five properties in Brattleboro.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION FOR GRANT APPLICATION AUTHORITY AS PRESENTED, TO IDENTIFY KIM ELLISON AS THE POINT OF CONTACT, AND TO IDENTIFY PATRICK MORELAND, INTERIM TOWN MANAGER, AS THE AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL.
F. Approve Grant Application – Brownfields Assessment Grant, Planning Services. The Selectboard is asked to approve a grant application to the Environmental Protection Agency by the Planning Services Department. A total of $400,000 is being requested to fund a local Brownfields program to facilitate the process of environmental review at redevelopment sites in Brattleboro. The funds would specifically be used to conduct Phase 1 & Phase 2 Environmental reviews, to develop remediation plans, to conduct neighborhood level environmental planning, and to cover the staff and administrative costs that go along with the local program. If granted, these funds would add to the existing regional funds administered by the Windham Regional Commission Brownfields program. Having a local program would help to prioritize successful redevelopment of brownfield sites within Brattleboro, an effort wholly consistent with the Brattleboro Town Plan.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT APPLICATION FOR A $400,000 BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT GRANT FROM THE EPA TO INVENTORY, CHARACTERIZE, ASSESS AND CONDUCT PLANNING AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT RELATED TO BROWNFIELDS IN BRATTLEBORO.
G. Presentation – Sustainable Energy Funding Program. The Board is in receipt of a proposal from the Sustainable Energy Funding Program for a large scale district heating project. The proposal contemplates the Town of Brattleboro as a partner in this development. At this time, the organization is seeking a resolution acknowledging the beneficial nature of the project in order to justify seeking funding for a feasibility study. While the idea of a district heating project in Brattleboro is not a new idea, to the best of my knowledge this is the first time that a developer has solicited the Town to act as partner.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
