The Brattleboro Selectboard met to discuss liquor license renewals and a safe drinking water system loan Tuesday evening
They granted licenses and accepted free money in record time, withholding most commentary and cutting right to the chase. This qualifies the evening as one of the shortest regular meetings.
Preliminaries
Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin – I have one broken record remark. Please get fully vaccinated and boosted and maybe we can stop wearing masks.
Town Manager Yoshi Manale – we’ve had inquiries into town warming sites. Groundworks at 60 South main, Brattleboro Senior Senior Center, and Central Fire Station – they’ll be on the town website with hours.
Daniel Quipp – Happy Lunar New year.
Jessica Gelter – It’s also Black History Month and kids in schools are getting into it and learning. Good to celebrate our fellow Americans.
No public comments.
Consent Agenda
A. Police Interview Room – Award Bid
B. Approve Annual Certificate of Highway Mileage for VTrans
C. Grand List Certification of “No Appeal or Suit Pending”
D. Bylaw Modernization Grant – Accept and Appropriate
E. Announce Dates and Times of Informational Meetings in Preparation for the 2022 Representative Town Meeting
So consented.
Liquor Commissioners
Liquor license Renewals – (1st, 2nd, 3rd class), outside consumption permit, and entertainment license
Liz – there’s a lot of them. Patrick? Yoshi?
Hilary Francis – as many of you remember you get to review all of the renewals. There are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class licenses plus entertainment licenses. They expire April 30th. We get the renewal forms and we send them to businesses, they return their paperwork to the town, then you approve it, then we send it to the DLC, then they sign off and send it back to us, and new issue the licenses. We recommend approval of all licenses, with one special situation McNeill’s. The Fire Department has some issues with the building. If they lapse their license and do the work, then they have to re-apply. We recommend you approve it and I will hold it and not issue it until McNeill’s does the work.
Liz – sounds like a good solution.
Tim Wessel – good to have no violations. Could be for pandemic reasons, or low staff, but…
Jess – that’s a great process you outlined. I’m curious about when we foray into cannabis, the process might be similar to what it is for liquor.
Hilary – don’t know yet. We haven’t been given much guidance yet. Towns can opt in to an approval process but they aren’t required to. Some may have people apply to the state, some might be like this. Nothing concrete, either.
Tim – we will be deliberating if and how cannabis commissioners will happen. We’re all still wondering. We should take that up soon. April is when towns will issue their part of the license.
Licenses approved, with the McNeill’s special situation.
Water & Sewer Commissioners
Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund – Approve Loan Documents for Water Distribution Capital Planning Project
Liz – ok, Patrick?
Patrick Moreland. Back in September the DPW and the engineer said the state was offering forgivable loans up to $100k to put together a water distribution plan The board authorized the application, the loan documents are before you. We have received 100% forgiveness on this loan. You can proceed with confidence. This is support from the state to plan for the improvement of the water distribution system.
Jess – the planning process, early on or months ago we talked about sustainable energy sourced from the hydraulic power going through the pipes. Would that be considered?
Patrick – interesting, not sure if that project was within the scope?
Dan Tyler, DPW – hello. So, the project the hydraulic study is a computer model that lets us evaluate pressures and flows, plus an asset management plan. That hydropower project we are still investigating, and it might not be part of this project, but the information we get will be useful for the hydropower project.
“Loan Agreement with the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (administered by the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank) in the not to exceed sum of $100,000 for the Brattleboro Water Distribution Capital Planning Project”
Loan agreement approved.
Meeting done by 6:32:38 pm – Certainly one of the shortest…