 | COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD April 11, 2023 @ 6:30 PM 781 Blakely Road 3rd Floor Conference Room __________________ |
1. Call Meeting to Order
Roll Call: Pam Loranger, Chair; Tom Mulcahy, Vice Chair; Jacki Murphy, Clerk; Charlie Papillo; Maureen P. Dakin
Staff Present: Aaron Frank, Town Manager; Renae Marshall, Deputy Town Manager; Cathyann LaRose, Planning and Zoning Director; Julie Greater, Town Clerk and Treasurer
Others Present: Cole Hayes, Mike Gallas, Rob Mazza, David Cootware, Dave Weissenstein, Kyle Anderson, Dane & Bridget McGrath, Angela MacDonald, Joe Hart, Maribeth & Charles Thackara, Jess Bessette, Sandy Graves, B. Butler, Mike & Moriah McCullagh, Dan Eng, Allison Tinson, Matt Andrews, Mike & Lynn Mazza, Peter Soons, Ted Stokes, Tyler & Cory Cootware, Dale Newton, Jeremy Harriman, David Ante, Emily & Ryan Fitzpatrick, Eric Casovant, Josh Kirtlink, Prescott Nadeau, Bruce Bourgeois, Peter Walsh, Dieter Mulac, Collin Fiske, Anthony Scaccia, Daniel Macaig, Mindy & mark Bessette, Suzanne & Steve Senesac, Chip Perry, Mike Cannon, Michelle Collins, Erika Albrecht, Brian Martin, Andy Higbee
Pledge of Allegiance
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Public Hearing | 6:35 p.m.
a. Amendments to Colchester Development Regulations (Supplement 45) |Cathyann LaRose, Planning & Zoning Director
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to open a public hearing for the proposed amendments to the Colchester Development Regulations, known as Supplement 45.
The MOTION carried.
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger closed the public hearing.
3. Citizens to be Heard*
Mike Gallas and Dave Weissenstein shared their backgrounds with the Colchester Fire Department; their concerns with the understaffing of emergency services and employees’ relationships with Town administration; and their hopes for the Colchester Fire Department to have adequate funding and the department to be fully staffed to provide safe and consistent service. Cole Hayes also requested that the Fire department be fully staffed and equipped to ensure appropriate response times. Dave Ante thanked the Town Officials and Selectboard for what they’ve done for the Town, but noted that, from experience, emergency services need to be staffed to deal with the worst of circumstances and not the best. Charles Thackara shared his observations of decreased emergency responders in Colchester and his wish for emergency services to be seen as essential services in order to better align with the Town’s mission statement. Ryan Fitzpatrick agreed in the observation of a lack in response from emergency services due to understaffing, and asked that a Town-wide staffing study is conducted and an emergency service tax be considered. Michelle Collins explained her experience while serving the Town as a firefighter, her safety concerns with having only three paid Fire Department staff, and her request to have the vacant third paid firefighter position filled in the next 30 days and a plan to adequately staff the Colchester Fire Department as the Town grows. Andy Higbee thanked Steve Bourgeois for his service as Colchester’s Fire Chief and all emergency service workers for their work and time, and urged everyone to treat employees and staff like humans. Prescott Nadeau shared his expectations for public safety in Town and urged for a public safety staff study be conducted.
Town Manager Aaron Frank, shared the history of fire protection in Colchester; thanked all emergency service volunteers and career staff for their service and Steve Bourgeois for his accomplishments as the Town Fire Chief; explained how resources and expenses within the Colchester Fire Department have been navigated in the past several years; noted the Town’s fiscal constraint when budgeting and the understaffed condition of all Town departments; and ensured that it is of the highest priority to gain more funding to equip and support emergency services in Town.
4. ACTION | Consent Agenda
a. Minutes of 3.28.2023 Selectboard Meeting
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to adopt the Consent Agenda as it may have been modified by the Board and to take the actions indicated for each item:
a. Approve the Selectboard Minutes of the meeting of March 28, 2023.
The MOTION carried.
5. Special Business Items
a. ACTION: Approval of Audit Terms and Objectives
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve the scope of services outlined in a letter from Sullivan, Powers & Co. to perform an audit of the financial statements of the Town of Colchester as of and for the year ending June 30, 2023.
Town Manager Aaron Frank shared that Sullivan, Powers & Co. provide fair pricing, strong communication regarding changing financial regulations, and unique input, along with the Town Attorney, when needed for financial situations, and explained that the Selectboard needs to decide if they are pleased with the quality and engagement of Sullivan, Powers & Co.’s service in order to approve the auditing contract.
The MOTION carried.
b. ACTION: Approval of Amendments to Colchester Development Regulations (Supplement 45) | Cathyann LaRose, Planning & Zoning Director
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve the proposed amendments to the Colchester Development Regulations, known as Supplement 45, after having held a public hearing earlier this meeting.
The MOTION carried.
c. INFORMATION: Re-Codification of Town Ordinances| Julie Greater, Town Clerk and Treasurer
Town Clerk and Treasurer Julie Graeter explained the codification processes in Colchester, which gives legal weight to the Town Charter and Ordinances, and reviewed the Town’s use of the software ClerkBase, a tool used to document and make pending and codified ordinances and charter amendments searchable for Town and public use.
Selectboard Member Maureen P. Dakin asked how legal staff was used in the codification processes and if there were any conflicts of interest. Town Clerk and Treasurer Julie Graeter explained that legal staff ensure the correctness of the Charter and Ordinance amendments and that there are no conflicts of interest with their work. Town Manager Aaron Frank added that having the Town legal team complete the codification process benefits their other work that they do for the Town because they become more familiar with the Town’s laws and regulations.
d. ACTION: Approval of Chittenden Solid Waste District Budget
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve the Chittenden Solid Waste District budget for FY 2024 in the amount of $15,280,358 in revenue and $14,402,047 in expenses.
Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall reviewed how the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) aims to again be self-sufficient and cover the cost of services they provide by relying on revenue from facility user fees, material sales, and fees charged to haulers when disposing trash at the landfill, and that the CSWD FY24 budget represents an 8.7% increase in overall proposed spending and an 10.3% increase in projected revenues.
The MOTION carried.
6. Public Hearing | Licenses and Petitions
a. Peddlers License for Gary Hathaway, D.B.A Mr. Ding-A-Ling Ice Cream
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to hold a public hearing regarding a Peddlers Licenses for Gary Hathaway D.B.A. Mr. Ding-A-Ling Ice Cream, 153 Church Rd., Colchester, VT 05446. All information included in the packet related to such applications is considered part of the public hearing, and, whereby the Colchester Selectboard shall enter a deliberative session later in the meeting to consider the matter and then issue a permit or denial in writing to each applicant via staff through the US Mail and will share the outcome publicly by placing the permit or denial as an informational item in the next Selectboard packet.
The MOTION carried.
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger closed the Public Hearing.
7. Additional Business | Manager’s Recommendations
There were no further recommendations.
8. Informational Items
Selectboard Pam Loranger noted that at last week’s Planning Commission meeting, Superintendent Amy Minor discussed the Colchester schools and enrollment, and encouraged the community to watch the recording for more information.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy and Member Maureen P. Dakin asked about a Citizen to be Heard regarding a sidewalk request and concerns in the community that have to do with the safety of pipe lining. Town Manager Aaron Frank explained Town staff has been addressing the citizen’s sidewalk request via email and will share more at the next Selectboard meeting, and that information about pipe lining safety will be included in an upcoming newsletter.
Town Manager Aaron Frank shared that the State of VT and Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation signed an agreement with the Town claiming that the State is the owner of the Causeway, that they will accept a deed for it, and that they will be responsible for all non-routine maintenance, while the Town agreed to routinely maintain it up to $20,000 annually and help with FEMA claim documentation for non-routine maintenance. This reversion is being warned to the public, and once complete, the Town can record the transfer deed and conclude the responsibility for this uninsurable asset.
9. Announcements
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger thanked Steve Bourgeois for serving as Colchester’s first Town-wide Fire Chief from January 2020 to April 2023. He brought together our two volunteer departments in the Village and the Bay, consolidated and rebranded the fire trucks, consolidated training and procedures, simplified dispatch procedures, and participated in the simplification of the Town’s building code. Steve transferred responsibility for supportive services to other Town departments including vehicle, facility and equipment maintenance; central services such as HR, IT, and Finance; and collaborated on jointly managed services - such as capital planning, budgeting and purchasing. He did this consolidation work right at the onset of COVID, which made meetings, trainings and everything more challenging. We wish Steve the best in his future endeavors following forty-three years of service in firefighting.
10. ACTION | Warrants
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve Warrant #23-28 in the amount of $1,241,074.54 and Warrant #23-29 in the amount of $1,038,533.04.
There were no questions on the warrants.
The MOTION carried.
11. Deliberative Session | Licenses and Petitions
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to meet in deliberative session under the authority of 1 V.S.A. § 312(e) for the purpose of considering licenses and petitions which were specifically noted on the agenda and for which a hearing was held earlier in the meeting. The Selectboard will issue a permit or denial in writing to each applicant via staff through the US Mail and will share the outcome publicly by placing the permit or denial as an informational item in the next Selectboard packet.
The MOTION carried.
12. Executive Session
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to find that premature general public knowledge of contracts, pending or probable civil litigation, and personnel issues would clearly place this Selectboard at a substantial disadvantage because the Selectboard risks disclosing its negotiation strategy if it discusses these topics in public.
The MOTION carried.
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to enter executive session to discuss contracts, pending or probable civil litigation, and personnel issues under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a)(1)(a)&(e) and (a)(3) of the Vermont Statutes, Executive Sessions.
The MOTION carried.
13. Adjournment**
MOTION was made by Tom Mulcahy and seconded by Charlie Papillo to adjourn the meeting.
The MOTION carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.