The Brattleboro Selectboard, under new management of Chair Ian Goodnow, had their first regular meeting of April and their first long discussion. It was about goals and what they want to do in the coming year. They also had their first meeting in the Municipal Center in quite a long time, sitting closely without masks and wondering where members of the public might be.
The board approved of a catering license, loaned some more money for new housing, allowed short term rental in the parking garage, and more.
Preliminaries
They get started late. 6:21.
Chair Ian Goodnow – Good evening. This is new and fun and exciting. I’m very excited to chair my first meeting. I’m sure I’ll forget things and make mistakes. I ask for patience. The other thing is that as we move through the year. I expect contentious meetings in the year ahead, like any year, and those meetings will require some decisions on the chair’s part on length of comments, etc. I’ve put a lot of thought into whether I’ll explain what I’m planning. Not yet. At an upcoming meeting I will lay out what the plan s for length of comments and if I will keep things to a length of time, to maintain the moderator role.
Yoshi Manale – no comments.
Tim Wessel – congrats to the new officers. You have our faith in leadership.
Public participation – – none.
Consent agenda
Yoshi – you have these items:
A. VTrans Financial Plan
B. VTrans Certificate of Compliance
C. Cardiac Monitor Replacement – Authorize Purchase
D. Police Governor’s Highway Safety Grant – Accept and Appropriate
Tim – non controversial and in order.
so consented.
Liquor Commissioners
The Porch Too – First Class Liquor License and Seasonal Third Class Liquor License
Patrick Moreland – the application is for the Porch Too – it is the catering operation of the restaurant. The want to serve beer and wine and hard liquor half the year when they cater. No problems that we see.
Ian – board?
Elizabeth McLoughlin – they are a great business and should be able to expand in this way.
Gretchen Hardy – we applied a couple of years ago, before COVID, and this is the same info. This is for a private business, not the restaurant.
Ian – pretty straight forward.
approved!
Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverages on Town Property – Second Reading and Possible Adoption of Proposed Ordinance Amendment
Ian – we have the TV further back. I can almost see all the names on there. Unfinished business…
Patri8ck – this is a second reading and adoption of changes for the exemptions. We talked about this a couple of weeks ago. Tonight you can vote on them. We will eliminate the restriction about staff holding alcohol related events and replace it with events being approve if they have proper permission and licenses. The Porch Too could work with Gallery Walk to serve in public places, as just an example.
Liz – an idea whose time has come.
Jess – just years after prohibition
Ian – this is taking one element of the pandemic – take away alcohol, we are expanding how we do this in public spaces. Hope we do more that we take from pandemic lessons.
Tim – part of are ongoing efforts to make ordinances slightly less bad. Is not throwing rocks still in there?
Liz – that could come in handy.
Ian – so…
ordinance change adopted!
Permanent Placement of the Harris Hill Ski Jump Sculpture – Discussion
Yoshi – this is to discuss the permanent placement of the new sculpture. If approved, we’d enter into an agreement for their year round maintenance of the sculpture.
Ian – we have some representatives.
Liz – so this is to maintain, but remove some elements seasonally?
Patricia Howell – thanks, I’m Pat Howell and president of Harris Hill Ski Jump and I have Mel martin here who designed and installed the sculpture. We’re thrilled you are taking this up as an option. We’ve had such positive feedback. Questions?
Liz – there is the sculpture, and there is a solar panel and other equipment. Can that be stored til Dec 1 every year?
Tim – or would it be lit all year?
Mel – the concept as a year round sculpture is to use the lights in season to highlight the event and in the dark of winter. The battery box I would move to the post that holds the solar panels. That feature would be eliminated. In the best of worlds I’d leave the panels there. There are flowers there and shrubbery on the island. I’d like to encourage it to enclose the panels a little more and isolate them visually. They can be removed. I’d like to see if we could mask them. That would be the preference, but you are the deciders.
Liz – my concern was for the safety of the equipment as well.
Mel – not much could happen to the equipment itself. solar panels can be up year round and there isn’t pedestrian traffic on the island. The battery box would be in th solar panel post. It would be invisible.
Daniel Quipp – why should it be there year round. there was a reason for it this year.
Mel – I’ll defer to the people – the business people and many people in the community who have approached us who say why take it down. Comments like it is more artful than I thought it would be. These comments speak to that better than I can. The community says it and how it aligns with historical history of Brattleboro.
Pat – we have signs that feature a ski jumper in Brattleboro and the ski jump is such a big part of the town’s culture for the last hundred years, so it was the feedback we have gotten that made us rethink the three months… it is very substantial and it is attractive, why not ask the board to keep ti up and just light it in the winter, as a reminder of the event. It was designed to be taken down and stored, but it is a lot of work to do so.
Mel – it would require a forklift and interrupting traffic twice a year. The community feedback made us consider this.
Daniel – I appreciate that explanation. Art is a subjective thing, and what is someone’s taste might not be another. It made sense to be up this year, and in the inter it could be nice. I have my own opinion of the piece, and don’t feel that matters, so I asked a lot of people. Lots love it and lots want it there seasonal. One reason for seasonal… it isn’t taken for granted. Arriving in December would be novel and interesting. I think a seasonal use would be more interesting.
Tim – I’m fully sold on year round and I’d prefer the lighting be seasonal. It’s odd to leave the panels and box there, but it won’t stop me from supporting art. I’m in favor of more art in Brattleboro not less, and taking it away is less art. Harris Hill is something to be proud of.
Jessica Gelter – I agree with Tim in a lot of ways. I think Brattleboro needs more public art. What I worry about – the piece was designed to be lit and beautiful, and it is. If it is only lit seasonally, it’s like a Christmas decoration sitting out all year in the lawn. If it isn’t full, it shouldn’t just sit there.
Ian – if we lit it year round you’d siupport it?
Jessica – yes, it would be beautiful. Harris Hill is important and it is relevant public art.
Daniel – my feelings aren’t about the Harris Hill ski jump… just the sculpture. There could be other ski jump sculpture. Seasonal is relevant and would be keeping with the agreement we already made. If it is there year round it should be lit up… one merit is at night it looks pretty good. In the day I’m less enchanted.
Liz – it should be seasonal. Leave it there and have it lit in the winter that is one option. Take away and bring it ask is another option. The third is to light it all the time, which is weird.
Tim – lighting aside, it is odd to point to this piece of art and say it isn’t seasonally appropriate. We wouldn’t argue that the sign that has the wooden skier – we don’t take that down. We have it on recycling containers. Why are we concerned about seasonal. It is a symbol to be proud of for the town of Ver.. Brattleboro.
Liz – once in a hundred years, seasonally is what we greed to. It’s akin to a christmas light, so it should be lit seasonally, to commemorate the event. It should be lit only seasonally.
Ian – why keep it up then? If the board were to have it removed seasonally, would the cost or effort it takes to install it prevent you from doing it each year?
Mel – an impediment. It’s a sizable task and project. It can be done.
Jess – if it is seasonal, could the town support the installation and removal of it?
Yoshi – it would be part of the budget process.
Patrick – curveball question, didn’t anticipate. What help do you need and what can we offer.
Yoshi – we have equipment.
Ian – thanks to the board for the discussion. I think the seasonal argument loses value when the town adopted the ski jumper as an emblem of the town, in multiple areas, but as I hear from the board, I’m seeing a difficulty in where we will land.
Liz – appropriate for a ski jump…
Ian – public comments? No. Okay. Further discussion?
Liz – they’ve asked for it to be seasonal. Tonight. Up all the time and lit seasonally. I’m ok with that.
Yoshi – do you want this permanent or seasonal, and then the lighting.
Tim – sounds like we have a 3-2 for seasonally lit and permanent placement. I just want to see the art remain.
Ian – hmmm.
Daniel – I move it be placed there Dec – March annually and is lit at night during that time, as in the original agreement.
Pat – I’ve already said what I think. I represent the ski jump. Some of you have said it – we will honor what you decide. We were hoping you’d yes, that was our roriginal agreement but we were asking once now that it has been seen – it is part of what Brattleboro is. So I don’t understand why it needs to come down. We will honor your decision.
Mel – lighting it seasonally is not a problem. We remove the battery box and grow some shrubbery and the timer can be set to match the season. If you want it lit year round it can be. It’s not a christmas ornament. Lit all year might support that..
Liz – a friendly amendment?
Ian – we vote on the amendment then the motion…
Liz – Town manager to work with staff to see if town can help set up and take down each year.
amendment passes
motion passes 4-1 (Tim against) – Dec – March and lit in evenings, with town help setting up and tearing down.
47 Flat Street – Authorize Loan Enhancement
Patrick – good evening. Tonight the board is asked to increase the value of the loan at the project for 47 Flat Street. It was Fall 2020 that they came to us to rehab the Sanel property, which has set empty for more than a decade. The Town was approached to see if we’d support a community development block grant. The board gave a $150k loan to the project. The town got info that the grant was preliminarily approved with conditions. 2020 and 2021 were difficult years with funding at the national level. 15 new units will be affordable units. In addition to the preservation review, there has been inflation and supply chain issues, which raised construction costs. This means it is difficult to meet the award conditions. It’s $2 million more than originally conceived. We have enough if the town increase the loan to $300k. If that is approved, construction can begin late April. There is $325k in the revolving loan fund – this would take $150k, this is a worthwhile project whose day has come.
Lis – have others increased funding?
Patrick – yes, if we do this…
Daniel – we have a housing plan that calls for 500 units immediately and this is 15. let’s fund it and it is a perfect use of that money.
Liz – we should have a sign with a countdown.
Jessica – it will come back to us a s a revolving loan.
Patrick – there are sources that can add value to the revolving loan fund to raise the balance.
Yoshi – a future discussion.
Tim – this will leave us around $175k in the fund, for economic development and housing. Sorry we lost floor, but let’s build more housing of all types.
Ian – I appreciate Patrick’s clarification. I don’t get newbie questions anymore. The first $150k is already accounted for.
Patrick – it is the available balance. Not sure how long something can be reserved. This $150k has been set aside since Fall 2020. There will be a closing on April 19th, so the town can get the state to issue the grant, then you’ll accept it, and we’ll subtract it to the project and provide the loan then.
Ian – we have Ski here so the town will give you $150k. Could you speak about the $300k total and the project?
Sky – thanks so much for continued support. This project is a long time in the making. When we lost the fifth floor that was my third panic attack. The 15 units will be available to people making 20-40k a year, roughly. The units will be really nice, in the historic building…. (zoom freezes) (recording stopped)
(recording in progress)… there isn’t a historic traffic pattern inside. This is an empty warehouse. We agreed to leave ceiling exposed, we wouldn’t insulate certain things o meet historic standards.
Ian – yeah, good luck.
Jess – makes motion…
loan amount increase approved!
Selectboard Goals – Initial Discussion
Ian – alright – it is 7:15. It seems like we lost zoom for a while. Pause for a break? We’re having audio issues. Will resume… that fixed it? Okay, it is all me to start this out. Every year the board discusses its goals for the year. In the agenda setting meeting we thought it would be good to start the discussion anew, with Yoshi. We can consider previous goals. A new document and work product will help give him and town staff guidance. So, there are lots of things we want to work on, so we could use the headers we used before – COVID, governance, community safety… but we’d talk about what we want in each of those, and if someone has something that doesn’t fall into any of these, we’ll just start a new category. Tonight, we want to do the goals. I’ll start… any comments?
Liz – I like that idea but when we get to housing I’d like planning and housing.
Tim – Since someone…
Ian – yes, the idea is we’ll put a bunch out in the air tonight, we’ll take notes, and town staff will take what we said and create a new working document for discussion at our next meeting. We can modify it and ratify it later.
Daniel – sounds good. For the public, the board has a role in town government which is policy setting, and town staff express that policy day to day. We don’t dictate how town operations are each day. We need to remember our role.
Ian – anything to add, Yoshi?
Yoshi – you laid it out well. I appreciate you going with the existing structure, but Patrick and I are ready to guide you so it isn’t to vague or too specific. Tonight we’ll listen.
Ian – this is messier than years past, but it is good and will really focus us this year. Let’s do COVID/ARPA…
Tim – this is pre-comment. No one should take the order as priorities.
Ian – I chose to discuss in order of the document. And, the public is welcome to comment during this portion.
Daniel – COVID/ARPA – a law passed a long time ago, but one piece was aid to governments, and we have a chance of money – $3. something windfall, with $2.7 left to play with… so it is COVID recovery.
Ian – I don’t want to work from the previous document.
Daniel – goal – to establish a transparent process to make best use of the Town’s ARPA funds.
Liz – I want us to be open to the varying stages of COVID as it evolves.
jess – something similar – ensure public services remain accessible through whatever level of pandemic we are at. After hear the school board meetings, accessibility is still an issue for some people. Access to public event s and services and facilities… the goal is make sure it is still accessible.
Liz – which is different from me wanting to evolve with varying variants.
Ian – for me, I’d like to have a check in on how the hybrid meeting is going and ways we can modify it if we need to to make it better. Now ARPA.
Jess – it was perfect.
Tim – it was finely spoke. Not sure anything is objectionable.
Ian – any timelines required?
Yoshi – this is yearly – you can check in as required. This is yearly goals.
Tim – I want to point out that we have a process already that we are already following called local democracy – it is our duty to listen to constituent concerns and take that in and weigh it and make decisions for our town. We have a process, to some degree…
Jess – look at all the public… many organizations and groups that fostered activity in the downtown were volunteer, and capacity has been diminished by COVID – so I want to help those events to continue in downtown and public spaces.
Liz – I’d move that to planning and housing. It’s a planning function for enacting downtown plan elements and other public space initiatives.
Ian – I’d move it to housing and planning. it is out of COVID.
Jess – organize it any way you see fit.
Ian – anything else on ARPA/COVOD? No? Governance?
Daniel – the only thing I want to say it one of our goals should be to move toward a charter review commission.
Ian – we charter-wise have to.
Daniel – a few years ago… it is this year? Ok. I’d also to clarify if it is charter review or charter revision.
Yoshi – we had that discussion and will clarify it.
Liz – the youth vote remains. The legal aspects of why it wasn’t approved.
Tim – I was there for the vote, by chance. In comments before and during it, Jeanette White pledged to help us with whatever path forward.
Liz – Becca Balint wanted to work to get it passed but it was not to be.
Ian – we should do the other charter change – adopt new charter changes that were made by other town’s charters and approved by the legislature.
Liz – not that familiar with it. It can be on the lust, but not sure we are assenting to it or considering it.
Ian – the town voted for it.
Liz – but I don’t know what all the other towns have agreed to… and what we’d adopt.
Ian – it is for us to choose.
Patrick – the idea was that because each charter is approved by the legislature, if they approve it for one town, it should be okay for another town without additional legislative action. This would be a menu of choices of reapproved charter options.
Ian -the voters voted for this charter change and the youth vote – both the will of the voters. If there are charter changes in the legislative gears, the board should help push things through.
Jess – I want to make sure our committees are all functioning with enough members. Arts and Accessibility haven’t had enough recently. let’s engage more people.
Ian – great goal, and I’d add that we look at nonfunctioning committees and try to fill what we can, or modify existing committees.
Jess – and give them some goals…
Daniel – dictate to them what their work is?
Tim – if they don’t please us…
Jess – committees have had trouble with focus and with having enough members.
Ian – entirely reasonable.
Tim – Reappraisal? It is staff’s work. We need to make it happen. I’ve been getting questions about it.
Yoshi – staff is preparing something and it is coming soon. there are paths you can take or not take.
Tim – there are lots of things we do that don’t show up in goals. This may fall into it, but getting a status report or opinion on timing.
Ian – Diversity Equity and Inclusion….
Daniel – two headings are worth continuing – view through and equity lens, continue work with IDEA committee
jess – number three could be continue to extend…
Yoshi – this is continuing, we meet every month, we have trainings, there is a series we are working on, and we’ll continue to do. The HR director has focused on it and employees are appreciate of the efforts.
Liz – a culture changing activity.
Ian – generally I thin the point is well taken and I thank town staff for this work. It is a unique but important part of our goals and decision making. Community Safety…
Liz – continue with the same three points.
Daniel – 2 says hold special selectboard meetings twice a year. It will continue to be helpful. The big thing that has changed – we have $300k in the community safety fund. Ahh, it is already there. We should continue with it.
Ian – lots to say, but specifics come later.
Yoshi – you are establishing the process…
Jess – could we add a goal of spending some of that money in the next year?
Liz – Yoshi is preparing things to bring to us.
Yoshi – #3 talks about making allocations and having a process this spring.
Ian – I want to spend the fossil fuel free money. I’m glad we created these funds and want to see it moving. Okay, Housing/Planning….
Tim – we completed the housing study and housing action plan.
Liz – from the other page I’d suggest we have an open space planning element as a goal. The downtown plan called for a number of ways to link open spaces together in the downtown. All can’t be easily done, but a base of them could be done. A revised list to help link downtown open spaces. It was a series of linked parks and walkways and bikeways and paths. Staff should bring us some initiatives.
Ian – in this year – some potential options to move toward.
Jess – definitely planning and parks and rec.
Liz – also there are housing initiatives – regulatory items and fostering and encouraging landlords and builders to create new units.
Jess – do you want specific things from the housing plan? or create an implementation plan?
Liz – an implementation plan
Ian – do you want to attach a number or percentage of the 500 housing units to address in this year. Frost street we loaned money to and those are happening, so ti would be in this year’s accomplishments.
Daniel – I’d like to be regularly updated on how many new units were created. If we don’t know, then that goal… we won’t know if it is achieved.
Yoshi – we’d have to define what is a new unit…
Daniel – it would be to see the different stages…
Yoshi – we can determine what is most useful…
Ian – it is 8 pm and we pause for the interpreters (not for Chris.. : ) ) Back in 10 minutes.
(crap)
(Ugh…I just wiped out the last 20 minutes of typing.)
Daniel – we need to understand the rental housing market in town. This was an action step to provide a better answer toward our already pledged climate goals…. maybe understand where we are?
Ian – a redefining?
Daniel – we already set goals, so we should know where we are with them.
Ian – okay. I want to add something different. I’d like to see a goal – Brattleboro trying to work on connections with other communities and showing what we are doing and marketing our sustainability. We are forward thinking and how can that help other communities in the state.
Daniel – we have much work to do before blowing our own horn.
Liz – trails and bridge to transportation?
Ian – Utilities/Traffic Pedestrian safety.
Daniel – why are these in the same group?
Ian – okay, just Utilities.
Liz – the stormwater utility allows us to recoup funds from the state.
Daniel – it is already underway.
Patrick – not bad to remind staff to get working on this. We know it needs to happen. A reminder is not a bad thing.
Yoshi – with myself and dan being new, it is a large undertaking.
Liz – when we have consultant money
Yoshi – we have a roadmap.
Ian – other utilities?
Daniel – we might look at utility water rates.
Ian – I’d like to add a goal for us to discuss fluoride in the water. It is a broad thing. not saying more, but do you want it as a goal. Currently there is no fluoride in the water.
Tim – I support that conversation fully. We don’t have to do anything with the new bridge?
Patrick – land, redoing water, traffic plan,
Liz – pile driving…
Ian – so they aren’t goals. Okay,
Jess – communities are monitoring waste water for covid levels. Is that something we want to consider?
Tim – do we already do it?
Yoshi – we could put it under Covid goals. We could talk about the bridge project and open spaces together.
Patrick – we’re putting finishing touches on the final report and will have another meeting and then the report will be sent to states and towns.
Yoshi – we can do a full update, outside of goal setting.
Ian – Traffic and Pedestrian Safety
Tim – projects already underway… VT Country Deli debacle. Not a goal.
Daniel – if we are setting goals, a goal would be have nobody die this year from crossing the road. That is tough. We’ve had way too many accidents in recent years. A goal would be to strive for zero.
Liz – some things from sustainability to move over – local trails, the 91 pedestrian bridge, promote multimodal transportation, and expand local bus service.
Ian – a goal could be to have some options to address road quality. We won’t replace all the roads in town, but I hear a lot of complaints abut the quality of the roads. So one goal would be to look at improving patching or issues that come up. I just hear a lot about it.
Tim – to look at the replacement schedule?
Daniel – learn more about our road system and learn how to keep it in better shape.
Jess – is there something here about people having an easy venue to be heard? We’ve been talking about sidewalks and a sidewalk plan.
Tim – a replacement schedule of sidewalks? We dip in to the budget each year for this, but maybe we should examine the priorities in that plan.
Daniel – in advance of budget season.
Ian – public outreach.
Tim – Website. Let’s do it.
Daniel – increase quality of community engagement?
Ian – Jess’s point about venues and ways for public to express concerns… should that be its own? A way for residents to …
Daniel – it could be part of the website. There is a form there already. So improving ways for people to interact with the website to let us know about our services.
Ian – I want to see the town have a vibrant and enaging social media presence. Is that part of the town website creation? I’d like to see that as a part.
Tim – could that happen after I leave?
Daniel – you could run it.
Tim – I do have thoughts of that and ideas of how the town should participate in social media.
Yoshi – social media is too broad a term. That can be a goal. The town doesn’t have a social media presence, and do you want one is a goal.
Daniel – consider the town’s social media presence.
Ian – why wouldn’t we want to commit to the way most people..
Liz – someone has to respond. Who is going to do that?
Ian – that’s implementation of the goal. The goal of having a presence is the goal I want to put into this. The rest can be hammered out.
Tim – the goal should be the discussion.
Daniel – maybe only one is in favor. Not everyone is excited about this.
Ian – it is an important way people engage in the community and the town is absent from it.
Liz – various department shave accounts…
Ian – moving on. Okay, cannabis.
Tim – it is coming and we need to form a control board and have a conversation with Sue. The advisory committee dropped way off in the current process. Applications are being accepted. It’s going bumpy and they are figuring it out. We need to discuss the local control board and what it will look like.
Liz – it will look like us.
Ian – the catch-all… anything else?
Jess – letting people know about the resources that we have to support them. Like the loan for the Flat Street project. Many don’t know these things exist.
Liz – we’re on the Board of Civil Authorities and people are often not aware of programs like homestead rebate tax. In general, I’d pout this under the website, to make the public aware of programs available.
Daniel – this goes back to improving community engagement. Letting them know what is available. That requires someone to take ownership of them.
Jess – how about what we could do about business support programs for creation and retention of childcare businesses in Brattleboro.
Liz – that’s a focus of state initiatives. maybe ask our legislative team how we can support this effort.
Yoshi – it could be part of the ARPA conversation.
Liz – or other set and federal funds.
Daniel – maybe evaluate the revolving loan fund…
Liz – we’re required to limit it to housing and economic development.
Yoshi – it is limited to what CDBG funds can be sued for. Childcare isn’t excluded… we’ll look at it for you.
Tim – I support what Jess is trying to do. It is my main issue running for senate. The issue of supporting early childhood education and services. It is supposed to come under schools, but the under-5 year olds don’t get taken care of. We could devote some resources but it need state action.
Yoshi – the goal could be to develop policies and processes to help encourage early childcare opportunities, like we do with housing. providing more resources..
Tim – and where does the energy get more efficiently applied. If the town takes up the slack, does it take state leaders off the hook?
Ian – OK, great goal. I have one. We should incorporate refugees and the board should have a goal of as simple that municipal government is accessible for our new residents.
Ian – a real pleasure to work on this with y’all. More in two weeks.
Selectboard Rules for Conduct of Meetings and Hearings – Annual Re-Adoption
Ian – this is when we look at how we run our meetings and public hearings and how we put things on the agenda. Anyone can bring up proposed changes or discussions.
Daniel – a couple of things – regular meeting at 6:15 on 1st and 3rd – and at 8:30 am on the second Monday – can we strike the wrong language? Appointment regs – there is stuff about school board stuff – should that still be there? We fill vacancies?
Yoshi – we’ll ask Bob.
Daniel – and consideration of items – agendas must be set after 5pm on a wednesday?
Ian – we would hold another meeting if something came up.
accepted as modified!
Warrants – Rotation Schedule for Weekly Review and Signing
Ian – every year we assign sections of the year to sign town warrants – checks – that we spend money on. Weekly plus payroll.
Tim – I request Nov 28- Jan 25th.
Jess – I’ll do the first one again.
Daniel – August to November.
Liz – June
Ian – January to March
done.
Annual Selectboard Appointments – Committees and Boards
Ian – every year the board appoints members to be on individual committees.
Daniel – my intention is to step down from the Traffic Safety Committee. I have a conflict.
Liz – I could go against my standards of joining a committee that never meets… (Ian accepts her on Traffic Safety Committee!)
Jess – rental housing improvement and small business assistance program.
Ian – Tim gets hazard mitigation committee.
Daniel – Capital Grants Review
Ian – I’m alternate on Deerfield valley communications. I’ll continue. WRC?
Liz – that could be a citizen member.
Ian – we’ll leave that one blank. I think we are done.
Brattleboro Transportation Center – Authorize Short Term Lease Agreements
Yoshi -the board is being asked to allow for Town manager to engage a 1 month lease at Flat Street and to do other short term lease for a year. Not looking for a long term lease. The space needs repair while we do a full evaluation. We are looking at both spaces, and let me do short term leases.
Tim – that’s J Craven’s project who is shooting film with lots of student help.
Jess – nice to get a bit of income while the space is empty.
Yoshi – this will include the Experienced Goods space, too.
Ian – good to have someone there.
Jess – great for the creative economy.
approved.
Potential Recycling Transportation Fee Increase
Patrick – we are asking you to increase the rate we pay per tone by $10 per ton for the contract with Triple T Trucking. They contacted us and said they are losing money and asked us to raise our rates. Until 4 years ago, recycling would get taken locally. That facility closed and Brattleboro’s curbside is collected then shipped to Rutland. A truck carries 13 tones and we send a truck 5 days a week to the facility. We pay $35 a ton for it. It costs about $450 per truck, and Triple T’s subcontractor is raising rates. They asked for us to help offset the costs. There is inflation and price increases so I agreed to bring this to the board. Triple T is not just a contract, but they have been a partner in the evolution of our solid waste stream. They helped us start pilot programs. I pass the request to the board.
Tim – what’s the length of our contract?
Patrick – it concludes FY 24, in two years.
Tim – I feel like a contract is a contract and we have a responsibility to the taxpayers, but it feels reasonable. Should we consider doing it for a year in case the numbers change?
Liz – as likely as hen’s teeth.
Tim – something we could reauthorize in a year.
Jess – wouldn’t it be in the budget process?
Patrick – an estimated $11k a year increase, out of $850k/
Tim – it would result in an overrun in the budget?
Patrick – it is a bit of an estimate what will be recycled but we have a rough idea.
increase approved!