The Brattleboro Selectboard will continue working on diversity issues at their next regular meeting at the Municipal Center. They’ll also start discussing the possibilities of plastic bag ban options for the town.
David Schoales has a suggestion to transfer funds to address energy and conservation projects. The board will lock in a price for heating oil, approve bids for parking lot paving, accept grants, and the dog park will be approved for fencing. (En garde, Snoopy!) All this and more.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation, and you are welcome to participate throughout the meeting.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. The Board will convene at 5:15pm and hold interviews for a committee position, and then is expected to enter into executive session immediately following the interview to discuss contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, the negotiating or securing of a real estate lease options, and the employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Board will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251-8100
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL CENTER
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017
COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS – 5:15PM
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:20PM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM
AGENDA
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING
2. APPROVE MINUTES, June 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
A. Diversity in the Community and on the Town Staff –
Town Follow-up Actions and Planning for Community Engagement
B. Police-Fire Facilities Project – Update
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – (i) Monthly Report for May – Finance Department (ii) Potential Transfer from General Fund to Capital Fund for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects – Selectboard Member Schoales
B. FY18 Heating Oil – Award Bid
C. Parking Lot Improvements – Award Bid for Harmony Lot, Harris Lot, and Gibson-Aiken Center
D. Dog Park Fence – Award Bid
E. Proposed Extrication Tool Purchase – Fire Department
F. Promise Community Grant – Accept and Appropriate
G. Plastic Bags – Staff Report and Selectboard Discussion re: Options for Town Ordinance
H. Workers’ Compensation – Updated Procedures and Memorandum of Understanding with Employee Unions
I. Committee Appointments
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: Peter B. Elwell, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: June 16, 2017
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The following summarizes the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. The Board will convene at 5:15pm and conduct committee interviews and immediately thereafter enter into executive session (at approximately 5:20pm) to discuss contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, the negotiating or securing of a real estate lease options, and the employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Board will 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
A. Diversity in the Community and on the Town Staff – Town Follow-up Actions and Planning for Community Engagement At the June 6 Selectboard meeting, the Board received a packet of information regarding “Staff Diversity and Hiring Practices.” After extensive discussion by the public and the Selectboard, the Board amended and approved five recommendations that were included in Town Manager Elwell’s memorandum dated June 1, 2017. A new memorandum dated June 16, 2017, from Town Manager Elwell provides an update on actions taken since June 6 and on proposed next steps.
NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.
B. Police-Fire Facilities Project – Update Town Manager Elwell will provide the Board with an update on construction progress at the Police Station and the Central Fire Station, as set forth in his memorandum dated June 15, 2017. The financial portion of his written report lists administratively approved project expenses and provides an overall summary of the project budget, expenses to date, and funds that have been committed but not yet spent.
NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.
10. NEW BUSINESS
A. Financial Report – (i) Monthly Report for May – Finance Department (ii) Potential Transfer from General Fund to Capital Fund for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects – Selectboard Member Schoales Finance Director John O’Connor will present the May 2017 financial report. In addition, the Board is asked to consider a transfer from the General Fund to the Capital Fund for energy efficiency and conservation projects, as requested by Selectboard member David Schoales.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
B. FY18 Heating Oil – Award Bid The Board is asked to award a contract for heating oil for FY18. As set forth in the memorandum dated May 25, 2017, from Finance Director O’Connor, the Town and School staff jointly bid this item and recommend awarding a contract to Discount Oil, from Keene, NH, for 77,700 gallons of No. 2 heating fuel oil (for the Town’s share) at a prepaid price of $1.789 per gallon for FY18.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO DISCOUNT OIL OF KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, FOR 77,700 GALLONS OF NO. 2 HEATING FUEL OIL AT A PREPAID PRICE OF $1.789 PER GALLON.
C. Parking Lot Improvements – Award Bid for Harmony Lot, Harris Lot, and Gibson-Aiken Center The Board is asked to award a contract to Zaluzny Excavating Corporation of Vernon, Vermont, in the amount of $293,850, which includes the base bid and Alternate 2, for pedestrian safety improvements in the Harmony Parking Lot, as set forth in the memorandum dated June 13, 2017, from Assistant Town Manager Moreland.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO ZALUZNY EXCAVATING CORPORATION OF VERNON, VERMONT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $293,850, WHICH INCLUDES THE BASE BID FOR PAVING AT THE HARMONY PARKING LOT, THE HARRIS PLACE PARKING LOT, AND THE GIBSON-AIKEN CENTER PARKING LOT AND ALTERNATE 2, FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HARMONY PARKING LOT.
D. Dog Park Fence – Award Bid The Board is asked to award a bid for fencing for the Dog Park to Cheshire Fence, of Marlborough, New Hampshire, in the amount of $10,500. As set forth in the memorandum dated June 7, 2017, from Recreation & Parks Director Carol Lolatte, the full cost of this project is being funded by donations and grants.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A BID FOR FENCING FOR THE DOG PARK TO CHESHIRE FENCE OF MARLBOROUGH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,500.
E. Proposed Extrication Tool Purchase – Fire Department The Board is asked to approve the purchase of a Hurst battery-operated extrication tool for the Fire Department in the net amount of $31,580 (includes a $2,000 trade-in credit). As set forth in the memorandum dated June 9, 2017, from Fire Chief Bucossi and Assistant Chief Howard, the equipment currently being used is an outdated 24-year-old hydraulic tool. Proposed funding (from a variety of cost savings identified by Chief Bucossi and Assistant Chief Howard) for the extrication tool is also set forth in the June 9 memorandum. If the purchase is approved, proposed funding for this replacement purchase would be removed from the FY19 capital budget.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF A HURST BATTERY-OPERATED EXTRICATION TOOL FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE NET AMOUNT OF $31,580.
F. Promise Community Grant – Accept and Appropriate The Board is asked to (1) accept and appropriate an Agency of Human Services Promise Communities Grant in the amount of $200,000, and (2) approve a sub-grant agreement with KidsPLAYce, Inc. As set forth in the memorandum dated June 13, 2017, from Planning Director Rod Francis, the Town would be the fiscal agent for this grant and KidsPLAYce would manage the day-to-day responsibilities of this project, which is designed to strengthen the resilience of the Green Street community.
POTENTIAL MOTION #1: TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE AN AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES PROMISE COMMUNITIES GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000.
POTENTIAL MOTION #2: TO APPROVE A SUB-GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND KIDSPLAYCE, INC.
G. Plastic Bags – Staff Report and Selectboard Discussion re: Options for Town Ordinance The Board is asked to provide direction to Town staff and the Town Attorney regarding the type of ordinance the Board wishes to adopt to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags in Brattleboro. Information regarding different types of ordinances is provided in the memorandum dated June 12, 2017, from Assistant Town Manager Moreland.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TBD
H. Workers’ Compensation – Updated Procedures and Memorandum of Understanding with Employee Unions The Board is asked to authorize Town Manager Elwell to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Town’s four (4) employee unions for the implementation of revised Workers’ Compensation procedures. The details of this matter are set forth in a memorandum dated June 6, 2017, from Assistant Town Manager Moreland.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE TOWN MANAGER PETER ELWELL TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE BRATTLEBORO PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, I.A.F.F. LOCAL 4439; WITH THE NEW ENGLAND POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 412; WITH THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS, LOCAL 98; AND WITH THE UNITED STEEL, PAPER AND FORESTRY, RUBBER, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, ALLIED INDUSTRIAL, AND SERVICE WORKERS UNION, LOCAL 944; FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REVISED WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PROCEDURES.
I. Committee Appointments – The Board is asked to appoint members for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, to various Town committees and boards, as set forth on the FY18 Committee Applicants and Vacancies list. The only contested seat is for Weigher of Coal and the Board is asked to conduct interviews of the applicants for that position at the beginning of this meeting.
POTENTIAL NOMINATIONS: TBD
Diversity
I was thinking about the diversity issue in town, and looking at history.
Historically, the way a place becomes diverse is by conquering or exploitation of cheap labor. The local population is disrupted with strangers, who then are slowly assimilated.
Brattleboro’s native population was pushed out by Europeans (British/French). These people set up businesses that attracted others and required labor. Immigration diversified Brattleboro as jobs were required. Irish worked on the railroad. Italians moved to the region to make cigars. Swedes moved to town to help carve woodwork for organs. And so on… with most of our imported labor making its way from Europe.
Georg Steinmeyer told me that the Estey company telephoned him in Germany and asked him to come to Brattleboro. Very specific targeting of a person, but not for ethnicity – it was for specialized knowledge and skill in work locals could not do. His family built organs in Germany.
(Brattleboro may be primarily European, but we represent a diverse Europe.)
Today, the primary labor being “exploited” seems to be migrant farm labor. It’s a bit different than a factory job – picking is a moveable job depending on season. It’s a bit harder to put down firm roots. Will our island/South American/Hispanic population grow as a result?
What other work opportunities would we design to attract various skills from a variety of locations?
One other interesting tidbit – studies show we get waves of immigration based on who were at war with. It’s a combination of soldiers getting hitched to locals, and locals escaping the war and going somewhere safer (here). Choose your wars carefully to influence immigration. : )