Tuesday night the Brattleboro Selectboard will hold the first of two public hearings on the town’s new land use regulations. The new zoning rules are up for a final round of public discussion and comment, and a final opportunity to propose changes, before likely adoption in the near future.
At this special meeting, they will also officially announce a series of public meetings to discuss the Police-Fire Facilities project, and possible pre-select pre-qualified engineering firms to perform brownfield site assessments.
You can attend and participate, and bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:15pm to discuss contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, and the negotiating or securing of a real estate purchase option. The Board will reconvene for 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, OCTOBER 27, 2015
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:15PM
SPECIAL MEETING – 6:15PM
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL CENTER
AGENDA
1. CONVENE MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES – September 29 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 – None
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – Monthly Report, September
B. Police-Fire Facilities Project (i) Option Agreement; Contract (ii) Dates and Locations of Public Meetings
C. Planning Department Engineering Services Contracts for Brownfields Grant Work
D. Proposed Zoning Code/Land Use Regulation Amendments (LUR) – Public Hearing
11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
B. Department Monthly Reports
12. MEETINGS
See enclosed Town Calendar
13. ADJOURNMENT
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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: Patrick Moreland, Assistant Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: 10-22-15
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The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, October 27th, 2015. The Board will meet in executive session at 5:15pm to discuss contracts, a labor relations agreement, and a real estate purchase option, and reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room.
7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS – NONE
8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS – NONE
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Finance Report – Monthly Report – September
Finance Director John O’Connor will present the monthly financial report.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
B. Police – Fire Facilities Project – Option Agreement and Public Meeting Schedule.
The Selectboard has previously made clear its expectation that series of public meetings be held to restate the need, describe alternatives and receive public comment on a future Police – Fire Facilities Project. After considering the schedules of all five Selectboard members and the relevant departments, staff recommends the following dates and times. Proposed venues include, Oak Grove School, Academy School and the Gibson Aiken Center, however the location of each meeting has yet to be finalized.
Saturday November 21 9:00 a.m.
Monday November 30 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday December 2 6:00 p.m.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
C. Engineering Services Contracts for Brownfields Grant Work – Planning Department
Brattleboro was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $400,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct assessments of potential brownfield sites in Brattleboro. The Planning Department recommends that the assessments be performed by a select group of prequalified engineering firms. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued in August, to which the Town received a total of twelve submissions. A Selection Committee reviewed the submissions and conducted follow-up interviews with selected firms. Finally the candidates were graded by the Selection Committee using the scoring matrix published in the RFQ. The Board is asked to extend a contract to each of the top three firms as scored by the Selection Committee, which include: Terracon Consultants Inc.; Sanborn Head and Associates, Inc.; and, LE Environmental LLC. This manner of engagement will enable the selected firms to compete for projects as they arise on project by project basis. The cost of performing Phase One Environmental Assessments is predictable and falls well within the authority of staff to authorize. The cost of Phase Two Environmental Assessments can be somewhat difficult to predict and may exceed the $10,000 limit of staff authority, as set by the Selectboard. However, for a Brownfields project to be successful, it must be sufficiently responsive during what will likely be a pending land transaction. As a result, staff recommends that the Selectboard delegate the authority to execute task orders, even those that may exceed $10,000 in value, to the Town Manager.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH TERRACON CONSULTANTS, INC., SANBORN HEAD ASSOCIATES, INC., AND LE ENVIRONMENTAL LLC, TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO THE BRATTLEBORO BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO DELEGATE TO THE TOWN MANAGER THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE TASK ORDERS WITH PREQUALIFIED FIRMS UNDER EACH ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES CONTRACT.
D. Proposed Zoning Code/Land Use Regulations (LUR) – Planning Department.
The Planning Commission and Planning Department have been working with a consultant for the past 18 months to update Brattleboro’s Land Use Regulations. The draft regulations first introduced in January have been the subject of an extensive series of public meetings led by the Planning Department. Over the summer department staff led a series of in depth issue specific presentations to the Selectboard. Throughout these many months the draft document has been revised to accommodate requests made by the public and accepted by the Planning Commission. The Selectboard is now asked to conduct two public hearings, one on October 27th and another on November 10th proscribed in 24 VSA Section 4444. At the conclusion of the public hearing on November 10th, the Board will be asked to take one of the following actions: vote on a motion to adopt the LUR as drafted; make minor (non-substantive) amendments and vote on a motion to adopt the LUR; or, to send the draft back to the Planning Commission with suggested areas for change.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NONE
