Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agendas and Notes – Regular and Special Meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two meetings next week. The first is their regular Tuesday meeting at which they will approve water and sewer construction contracts, set a date certain for Representative Town Meeting 2020,  set property tax rates, buy winter sand, resume water shutoffs for commercial and industrial customers, and more.

Their second meeting of the week will be on Thursday, to review the Community Safety RFP.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, at 6:15pm via Zoom.  The attached agenda and administrative report contain information about how to access the meeting remotely.  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at 6:15pm via Zoom.   The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

 

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 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 

REGULAR MEETING – 6:15PM

 

NOTE: This meeting will be held with no physical location using Zoom.  Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659 

You also can call in using your telephone  by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States: 

833-548-0282 

877-853-5247 

888-788-0099 

833-548-0276 

or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers  for locations around the world using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA 

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is: 

860 6789 2659 

The meeting will be carried live on BCTV: 

On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10 

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream 

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/ 

AGENDA 

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING 

2. APPROVE MINUTES – July 14 and July 21 

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS 

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS 

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS 

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS 

A. First and Third Class Liquor License – Saxtons River Distillery, LLC 

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS 

A. Wastewater Treatment Plant Digested Sludge Storage Tank Cover – Award Bid 

B. Construction Phase Engineering Contracts 

(i) Exit 1 Utilities Improvements 

(ii) Reservoir Trail Culvert Project 

C. Water and Sewer Main Relocation/Replacement on Putney Road –  Engineering Services Contract 

D. Proposed Resumption of Water Shut-Offs for Delinquent Commercial/Industrial Accounts 

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. Representative Town Meeting –  Approval of Warning for an All-Online Meeting on Zoom  on September 12, 2020 (and September 13, 2020, if necessary) 

B. COVID-19 Update 

10. NEW BUSINESS 

A. Monthly Financial Report – June 

B. Set FY21 Property Tax Rates 

C. Purchase of Radio Alarm Receiver Box for the Central Fire Station 

D. Winter Sand – Award Bid 

E. Town Committees and Boards – Appointments 

11. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI 

A. Warrants 

12. MEETINGS 

See Town Calendar 

13. ADJOURNMENT 

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 MEMORANDUM 

To: Selectboard 

From: Peter B. Elwell, Town Manager 

Re: Administrative Report 

Date: July 31, 2020 

 ———–

The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, on Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19). The meeting will begin at 6:15pm. The public may join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659 

You also can call in using your telephone by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States: 

833-548-0282 

877-853-5247 

888-788-0099 

833-548-0276 

or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers for locations around the world using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA 

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is: 

860 6789 2659 

The meeting will be carried live on BCTV: 

On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10 

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream 

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/ 

7. LIQUOR COMMISSIONERS

A. First and Third Class Liquor License – Saxtons River Distillery, LLC The Board is asked to approve a First and Third Class Liquor License for Saxtons River Distillery, LLC, located at 155 Chickering Drive, for the purpose of opening a tasting room and outside area at the southern end of the building. Town staff recommends approval and Christian Stromberg, owner of the establishment, will attend the meeting to answer any questions. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A FIRST AND THIRD CLASS LIQUOR LICENSE FOR SAXTONS RIVER DISTILLERY, LLC, LOCATED AT 155 CHICKERING DRIVE. 

8. WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS 

A. Wastewater Treatment Plant Digested Sludge Storage Tank Cover – Award Bid The Board is asked to award a bid to Neagley & Chase Construction, of South Burlington, Vermont, in the amount of $147,500, to provide and install a digested sludge storage tank cover at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The cover will greatly reduce the odor emitting from the plant, as set forth in the memorandum dated July 17, 2020, from Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A BID TO NEAGLEY & CHASE CONSTRUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $147,500 TO PROVIDE AND INSTALL A DIGESTED SLUDGE STORAGE TANK COVER AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. 

B. Construction Phase Engineering Contracts (i) Exit 1 Utilities Improvements (ii) Reservoir Trail Culvert Project The Board is asked to award two contracts to Dufresne Group for construction oversight engineering services on two separate projects. The first contract, in the amount of $95,000, is for the Exit 1 water and sewer improvements. Dufresne will observe and record all work performed by the contractor, review pay requests, certify work has been completed as designed, and prepare a record drawing. The second contract, in the amount of $20,670, is for the Reservoir Trail Culvert Replacement Project, which will complete one segment of the new waste process water line from the Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Plant. Funding for both projects was approved in the FY21 Utilities Capital Budget, along with a grant for the Exit 1 project in the amount of $440,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, as set forth in the memorandum dated July 21, 2020, from Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE ENGINEERING SERVICES TO DUFRESNE GROUP, IN THE AMOUNT OF $95,000, FOR THE EXIT 1 WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE ENGINEERING SERVICES TO DUFRESNE GROUP, IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,670, FOR THE RESERVOIR TRAIL CULVERT REPLACEMENT PROJECT. 

C. Water and Sewer Main Relocation/Replacement on Putney Road – Engineering Services Contract The Board is asked to approve the engineering agreement with Green International Affiliates, Inc., of Westford, Massachusetts, in the amount of $75,472, for engineering services to provide design, coordination, and permitting services in connection with the Putney Road Water and Sewer Main Relocation/Replacement Project. The utilities will be relocated as part of the VTrans Putney Road Improvement Project. The cost of design, permitting, and construction of the relocation/replacement of the Town’s infrastructure is the Town’s responsibility. These and other details are set forth in a memorandum dated July 22, 2020, from Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE AN ENGINEERING AGREEMENT WITH GREEN INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES, INC., OF WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,472, FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES TO PROVIDE DESIGN, COORDINATION, AND PERMITTING SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUTNEY ROAD WATER AND SEWER MAIN RELOCATION/REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

D. Proposed Resumption of Water Shut-Offs for Delinquent Commercial/Industrial Accounts The Board is asked to reinstate utility disconnections for delinquent commercial  and industrial water and sewer accounts, as set forth in the memorandum dated  July 31, 2020, from Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: T O AUTHORIZE THE RESUMPTION OF UTILITY DISCONNECTIONS FOR DELINQUINT COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER AND SEWER ACCOUNTS. 

9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. Representative Town Meeting – Approval of Warning for an All-Online Meeting on Zoom on September 12, 2020 (and September 13, 2020, if necessary) The Selectboard received the draft warning at its July 28 meeting, at which the Board approved holding the rescheduled 2020 Representative Town Meeting via Zoom on Saturday, September 12 (and Sunday, September 13, if necessary). 

The Board is asked to approve the warning, as presented.

 POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE WARNING FOR THE RESCHEDULED 2020 REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (AND SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, IF NECESSARY), AS PRESENTED. 

B. COVID-19 Update Town Manager Elwell will provide an update on COVID-19 matters. 

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM. 

10. NEW BUSINESS 

A. Monthly Financial Report – June Finance Director Andre Jaeger will present the preliminary year-end financial report for FY20

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM. 

B. Set FY21 Property Tax Rates The Board will be asked to set the property tax rates for FY21. As of “press time”  on July 31, the Town had not yet received information from the State of Vermont regarding the education tax rate that is essential to the calculation of the overall tax rates. Therefore, the backup materials regarding this matter are not included in the Selectboard’s notebooks for this meeting but will instead be distributed separately after the information from the State has been received and the tax rates have been calculated. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE A MUNICIPAL TAX RATE OF $1.2945 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS, AN ADDITIONAL $0.1303 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND AN ADDITIONAL $6.8785 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR THE TRI-PARK SPECIAL ASSESSMENT; AND TO RATIFY THE STATE-MANDATED EDUCATION RATES OF $_______ PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES AND $_______ PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

C. Purchase of Radio Alarm Receiver Box for the Central Fire Station The Board is asked to authorize the Fire Department’s purchase of a radio alarm box receiver from L.W. Bills, of Georgetown, Massachusetts, in the amount of $32,488.70, as set forth in the memorandum dated July 13, 2020, from Fire Chief Michael Bucossi. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF A RADIO ALARM BOX RECEIVER FROM L.W. BILLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,488.70. 

D. Winter Sand – Award Bid The Board is asked to award a bid for winter sand to Zaluzny Excavating, of Vernon, Vermont, in the amount of $10 per cubic yard picked up. Two bids were received and Zaluzny was the low bidder, as set forth in the memorandum dated July 15, 2020, from Highway/Utilities Superintendent Dan Tyler. 

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO AWARD A BID FOR WINTER SAND TO ZALUZNY EXCAVATING IN THE AMOUNT OF $14.40 PER CUBIC YARD DELIVERED OR 

$10 PER CUBIC YARD PICKED UP. 

E. Town Committees and Boards – Appointments The Board is asked to appoint Margaret Shugart to the Development Review Board and Django Chase to the Energy Committee. As noted in his application, Django Chase is about to enter into high school and is a minor. Included in the Selectboard’s back-up materials for this meeting is a legal opinion from Town Attorney Robert Fisher addressing whether a minor may be appointed to a Town committee. In summary, Attorney Fisher concludes that an appointment of a minor to a committee that is purely advisory, such as the Energy Committee, is lawful. 

POTENTIAL NOMINATIONS: 

MARGARET SHUGART TO THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD FOR A TERM ENDING JUNE 2023. 

DJANGO GRACE TO THE ENERGY COMMITTEE FOR A TERM ENDING JUNE 2022. 

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020 SPECIAL MEETING – 6:15PM 

NOTE: This meeting will be held with no physical location using Zoom. 

Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659 

You also can call in using your telephone 

by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States: 

833-548-0282 

877-853-5247 

888-788-0099 

833-548-0276 

or you can access a list of non-toll-free numbers 

for locations around the world using this link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k2Hdbk6mA 

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is: 

860 6789 2659 

The meeting will be carried live on BCTV: 

On Cable TV: Channel 1085 or Channel 10 

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-10-stream 

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv/ 

AGENDA 

1. CONVENE SPECIAL MEETING 

2. CHAIR’S REMARKS 

3. MANAGER’S COMMENTS 

4. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS 

5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. Continued Consideration of Process for Review of Police and Community Safety – Review Request for Proposals 

7. ADJOURNMENT