 | January 10, 2023 @ 6:30 PM 781 Blakely Road 3rd Floor Conference Room __________________ |
1. Call Meeting to Order | Roll Call | Pledge of Allegiance
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; Bob Vickery, Town Assessor; Amanda Clayton, Town Engineer
Others Present: Alek Fleury; Shawn Farrell
Pledge of Allegiance
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Public Hearing 6:35 PM
a. Hearing on FY 24 Municipal Services Budget | Renae Marshall, Deputy Town Manager
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to having been duly warned, open a Public Hearing to consider the proposed FY 2024 Municipal Services Budget.
The MOTION carried.
Renae Marshall, Deputy Town Manager, reviewed the budgeting process and explained how the high rate of inflation had a large impact on the proposed budget and that it does not include any new services, but instead maintains the current level of municipal services. She noted the proposed budget is $15,028,386, which is an 8.3% increase from last fiscal year, and that the budget, along with non-tax revenues and capital items previously approved by the voters, will result in a 5.7% increase in the municipal services tax rate, which is an increase of $99 per year on a house assessed at a value of $300,000.
3. Citizens to be Heard*
There were no citizens to be heard.
4. ACTION | Consent Agenda
a. Minutes of 12.13.2022 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 December 13, 2022.
The MOTION carried.
5. Special Business Items
a. ACTION: Errors and Omissions | Bob Vickery, Town Assessor
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve the errors and omissions to the Grand List, as recommended in a memo from Robert Vickery, Town Assessor, dated 12/13/2022.
Bob Vickery, Town Assessor, reviewed an additional and a subdivided parcel to the Grand List.
The MOTION carried.
b. ACTION: Certificate for Opening a Town Highway |Amanda Clayton, Town Engineer
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to accept the Irrevocable Offer of Dedication and sign the Certificate for Opening a Town Highway Known as Marble Island Road for Public Travel in the Town of Colchester.
Amanda Clayton, Town Engineer, explained how Marble Island Road is already considered a public road, but not yet conveyed to the Town, and this dedication will confirm this conveyance.
The MOTION carried.
c. ACTION: Approval of FY 24 Municipal Services Budget
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to, having held a public hearing, approve the FY 2024 Municipal Services Budget in the amount of $15,028,386 (Fifteen Million, Twenty-Eight Thousand, Three Hundred Eighty-Six Dollars), to be placed on the March 7, 2023 ballot for voter approval.
The MOTION carried.
d. ACTION: Approve and Sign Warning for Annual Meeting
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve and sign the warning for the March 6, 2023 Annual Town Meeting per the attached Warning.
The MOTION carried.
e. ACTION: Clarify Previous Development Review Board Appointments
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to clarify previous appointments, appointing:
· David Carlson as a member to the Colchester Development Review Board for a 2-year term that will end September 30, 2024.
· Kathy Cawley as an alternate member to the Colchester Development Review Board for a 1-year term that will end September 30, 2023.
The MOTION carried.
6. ACTION | Adjourn to Meeting of Colchester Liquor Control Commission
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to temporarily adjourn the meeting of the Selectboard and convene a meeting of the Liquor Control Commission.
The MOTION carried.
7. Additional Business | Manager’s Recommendations
a. Pictures of Progress
Town Manager Aaron Frank presented the Pictures of Progress, highlighting Burnham Memorial Library’s Trunk-or-Treat and Tree Lighting events, Town staff and volunteer work at the General Election, Town staff Diversity and Equity trainings, the Colchester-Milton Rotary’s Holiday Basket event, and two new staff, Emily Johnson and Chelsea Paquette, who filled two vacant positions.
8. Informational Items
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger thanked the Library Board of Trustees for their letter in support of the proposed Recreation Center, and noted the Planning Commission and School Board have also composed letters of support. She encouraged the Selectboard to draft a letter in support of the Recreation Center as well.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy asked about the Citizen to be Heard letter regarding the drainage situation on Meadow Drive, and Town Manager Aaron Frank explained staff from the Department of Public works have been working on the situation by surveying the issue itself, those affected, costs, and solutions, and that findings and recommendations will be shared with the concerned citizen and the Selectboard at a later date.
9. Announcements
Town Manager Aaron Frank shared that the Town was not successful in permitting the Mercier Drive Solar Project due to the wet soil, but ensured that Town staff will continue to search to find an acceptable solar site and work towards the Selectboard’s goal of generating 100% of the electricity consumed in the provision of municipal services through local, affordable, and renewable energy.
Selectboard Vice Chair Tom Mulcahy thanked the Colchester Sun for their recent appreciative and accurate articles covering Town topics.
10. ACTION | Warrants
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve Warrant #23-19 in the amount of $881,160.81 and Warrant #23-20 in the amount of $145,298.04.
There was one question on Warrant #23-20, line 66, asking where the hazardous tree was that the vender SAVATREE had removed, and Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall explained the tree was located near 12 New England Avenue, and that the tree was removed, but the stump grinding will take place later, so it will be included on a future warrant.
The MOTION carried.
11. Executive Session
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to find that premature general public knowledge of contracts, labor relations agreements, 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, labor relations agreements, and personnel issues under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a)(1)&(b) and (a)(3) of the Vermont Statutes, Executive Sessions.
The MOTION carried.
12. 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.