| | MINUTES COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD Colchester Town Offices 781 Blakely Road, COLCHESTER, VT Outer Bay Conference Room, 3rd Floor __________________ |
1. Call Meeting to Order / Roll Call (5:45 PM)
Chair Nadine Scibek called the meeting to order at 5:45 PM.
Selectboard: Nadine Scibek, Chair; Tom Mulcahy; Jeffrey Bartley; Herbert Downing. Absent: Jacki Murphy
Staff: Dawn H. Francis, Town Manager; Aaron Frank, Deputy Town Manager/CFO; Karen Richard, Town Clerk; Sarah Hadd, Director Planning and Zoning; Claudine Safar, Town Legal Counsel
Others in Attendance: Sarah Reeves, Chittenden Solid Waste District
2. Possible Executive Session
a. Pending Litigation
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to find that premature general public knowledge of pending litigation would clearly place this Selectboard at a substantial disadvantage because the Selectboard risks disclosing its negotiation strategy if it discusses the pending litigation in public.
The MOTION carried 3-1, with Herbert Downing opposed.
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to enter into executive session to discuss pending litigation under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a)(1)(e) of the Vermont Statutes, Executive Sessions. Claudine Safar, Town Attorney; Dawn Francis, Sarah Hadd and Aaron Frank joined the Executive Session.
The MOTION carried 3-1, with Herbert Downing opposed.
At 6:41 PM MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Herbert Downing to exit executive session.
The MOTION carried 4-0.
3. Reconvene meeting / Pledge of Allegiance (6:30 PM)
Chair Nadine Scibek reconvened the Selectboard meeting at 6:42 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
4. Citizens to be Heard
None came forward.
5. Consent Agenda
a. Minutes of Selectboard Meeting of May 23, 2017
b. Resolutions of Appreciation for Thirty Years of Service to the Town of Colchester for Sergeant James Roy, Mike Moffatt, Scott Smith, and Karen Richard
Resolutions of Appreciation for Thirty Years of Service were read at the June 9, 2017 Employee Summit for Sergeant James Roy, Colchester Police Department; Mike Moffatt, Financial Officer; Scott Smith, Highway Department; and Karen Richard, Town Clerk. The Board presented flowers to Karen for her years of service.
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve the consent agenda as it may have been modified by the Selectboard and to take the actions indicated for each item:
a. Minutes of Selectboard Meeting of May 23, 2017
b. Resolutions of Appreciation for Thirty Years of Service to the Town of Colchester for Sergeant James Roy, Mike Moffatt, Scott Smith and Karen Richard
The MOTION carried 4-0.
6. Special Business Items
a. Chittenden Solid Waste District; Meet Sarah Reeves, CSWD General Manager
Ms. Reeves gave a brief self-introduction and reviewed CSWD goals under her leadership.
b. ACTION: Chittenden County MS 4 Stormwater Program Agreement
Up to now, the administration of the MS4 Stormwater Program by the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) was covered under two separate agreements. For efficiency the two agreements are now being combined at a cost of $5,500 annually. The new document requires reauthorization.
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Herbert Downing to approve the authorization of Town Manager, Dawn Francis, to sign an agreement with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission to administer an MS4 Stormwater Program that conforms with and satisfies the relevant requirements of both Minimum Control Measure One (Public Outreach and Education) and Minimum Control Measure Two (Public Involvement and Participation) of the
Phase II NPDES Permit issued by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation on December 2012 through General Permit 3-9014, with the effective date of this agreement beginning on July 1, 2017 and ending on June 30, 2022, as recommended in a memo from the Director of Public Works, Bryan Osborne, dated June 5, 2017.
The MOTION carried 4-0.
c. 2018 Abstract Grand List (pre-appeals)
In FY 2017 there were 1,166 changes of assessment with an estimated change of percentage of 1.53% after appeals to the Grand List.
d. Draft Authorization to Transfer and Assign Funds – D. Francis and A. Frank
Herbert Downing voiced his opposition to the proposal and stated his opinion that the entire surplus should go into the Fund Balance and its use should be part of the regular budgeting process. A change to the reference for the private fundraising for the Park Capital Plan was requested by Tom Mulcahy. Staff reiterated these were needs that were not funded and that a public process and meetings or votes have been or would be involved for all of the items either in the past or at some point in the future. If the assignment of funds does not take place before the end of the fiscal year, it may result in a higher tax rate in the future.
e. Review Proposed Tax Warrant / Tax Rate – A. Frank
Dawn Francis reported the proposed municipal tax rate will again be lower than seven years ago. The tax rate is proposed to be $0.5271% per $100.00 of property value in comparison to the 2011 rate of $0.537. This is a decrease of 3.11% compared to last year’s tax rate. It was acknowledged that this decrease was due to a stormwater utility being established and stormwater expenses now being removed from property taxes as well as the Board and staff’s efforts to contain costs. Aaron Frank provided an overview of how the proposed rate was derived and showed a chart where the municipal tax bill for a $300,000 home will be $1,581 or $51 less than last year.
7. Monthly Report
a. Town Manager’s Report for May 2017
Dawn H. Francis gave the Town Manager’s report for May 2017.
8. Approval of Petitions and Licenses
a. ACTION: Renewal of Salvage Yard Permit for Timothy and Jean Shepard d.b.a. D. Richard Automotive
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve a Salvage Yard permit for Timothy and Jean Shepard d.b.a. D. Richard Automotive, at 766 Bay Road, Colchester Vermont.
The MOTION carried 4-0.
9. Additional Business – Manager’s Recommendations
· There will be a court ordered mediation for Motter/Brickyard partners on June 29, 2017 and the Planning Director will represent the Town at this mediation.
10. Informational Items
a. For the Week ending June 9, 2017
11. Future Agenda Items
June 27, 2017
· Authorization to Transfer and Assign Funds – D. Francis and A. Frank
· Tax Warrant / Tax Rate for FY 2018 – A. Frank
· Interview Prospective Planning Commission member
· Appointment / Reappointments of Colchester Representatives to CCRPC
12. Announcements
· The Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation’s Annual Meeting will take place June 21.
· The Library’s Annual Book Sale will take place June 23-26 at Colchester High School.
13. Warrants
a. ACTION: Warrant #17-34 and #17-35
MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Herbert Downing to approve Warrant #17-34 in the amount of $603,835.86 and #17-35 in the amount of $499,619.63.
The MOTION carried 4-0.
14. Adjournment
At 8:05 PM MOTION was made by Jeffrey Bartley and SECONDED by Herbert Downing to adjourn the meeting.
The MOTION carried 4-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM.
* Select Board Meetings may be viewed on Channel 17 on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. & Tuesdays at 6:00 a.m.
Attendance in an executive session shall be limited to members of the public body and at the discretion of the public body, its staff, clerical assistance and legal counsel and persons who are subject of the discussion or whose information is needed. If the Agenda items are not complete at 10:00 p.m., the Select Board shall take a vote as to whether to continue or recess the meeting until the following Friday at 6:00 a.m. for the purpose of reconvening and completing the remaining business items.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, those requiring accommodation for this meeting should notify the Town Manager’s Office at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at (802) 264-5500, TDD 1-800-253-0191 (text/telephone), 1-800-253-0195 (voice).