 | COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD October 24, 2023 @ 6:30 p.m. 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; Bryan Osborne, Public Works Director; Pete Hull, Acting Police Chief
Others Present: Doug Allen, Rich Paquette, Luba Routsong, Tom Mulvay, Toni Josey, Cara Anningham
Pledge of Allegiance
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Presentation | Possible Safety Improvements to Vermont State Highway US Route 2
near Clay Point Road for the Selectboard to Consider in a Request to the Vermont Department of Transportation| Bryan Osborne, Public Works Director & Acting Police Chief Pete Hull
Public Works Director Bryan Osborne and Acting Police Chief Pete Hull acknowledged last year’s efforts by the State to improve the safety at the Route 2 and Clay Point Road intersection by lowering the speed limit from 55 mph to 50 mph, yet noted that the severity of accidents at this intersection are still of concern, and recommended that the Selectboard send a letter to the VT Agency of Transportation to request further reductions to the speed limit and for the implementation of further safety improvements.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy asked what an Optical Speed Bar is and Public Works Director Bryan Osborne explained that it consists of white paint marks on the edge of a roadway to act as a mental cue for drivers to slow down. Selectboard member Charlie Papillo asked how speed reductions could be enforced, and Acting Police Chief Pete Hull explained speed limits are enforced when police are on patrol in the area, but is a challenge with current staffing. Selectboard member Maureen P. Dakin asked if the recommended short-term improvements were meant to be completed together and Public Works Director Bryan Osborne confirmed that the majority of the recommended short-term improvements rely upon a similar strategy to provide mental cues for drivers approaching and or stopping at this intersection and therefore are most effective when completed together. Selectboard Vice Chair Tom Mulcahy asked if the recommended changes to the Clay Point Road approaches can be applied to other Town roads that intersect with U.S. Rt. 2 and if a traffic signal or a roundabout would be more beneficial for this intersection. Public Works Director Bryan Osborne stated that the short-term measures proposed for Clay Point Road could be applied to other Town roads intersecting with the State highway, and that a roundabout would be best for the Rt. 2 Clay Point intersection.
3. Public Hearing | Safety Improvements to Vermont State Highway US Route 2 near Clay Point Road
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to open a Public Hearing to consider public input on potential safety improvements to Vermont State Highway US Route 2 near Clay Point Road.
The MOTION carried.
Luba Routsong asked if the Colchester Police could collaborate with the Milton Police to have more patrol between towns at this intersection, and Acting Police Chief Pete Hill explained it would be difficult because resources in many police departments are stretched. She also asked what communications were like between the Town and VTrans regarding their letter and efforts last year to implements safety changes, and Public Works Director Bryan Osborne explained that the Town did receive responses on the Town’s requests from the Traffic Committee and VTrans and these communications are and will continue to be shared in Selectboard informational packets. She also thanked the Town and staff for their work on obtaining these safety improvements over the past year.
Toni Josey asked for consideration of new developments in the area be kept in mind when making these requests, as more people will be using these intersections in the coming years, so increased safety measures are becoming more vital.
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger closed the public hearing.
4. ACTION | Selectboard Consideration of Possible Safety Improvements to Vermont State Highway US Route 2
near Clay Point Road in a Selectboard Request to the Vermont Department of Transportation | Bryan Osborne, Public Works Director & Acting Police Chief Pete Hull
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to authorize the Selectboard Chair to sign and submit a letter to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, requesting that they consider further reductions to the speed limit on U.S. Route 2 in the area of Clay Point Road, and, advance a series of short, medium and long-term safety improvements to the U.S. Route 2 and Clay Point Road intersection, as per a memo dated October 17, 2023 from the Director of Public Works, Bryan Osborne and the Acting Chief of Police, Peter Hull.
The MOTION carried.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy asked if the letter to VTrans should be amended to include the recommendations to apply these safety changes to the other intersections leading to Route 2, and Public Works Director Bryan Osborne and Town Manager Aaron Frank explained the Town would apply some of these safety changes to portions of the other intersections under the Town’s jurisdiction.
5. Citizens to be Heard*
There were no citizens to be heard.
6. ACTION | Consent Agenda
a. Minutes of 10.10.2023 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 October 10, 2023.
The MOTION carried.
7. Special Business Items
a. ACTION: Municipal Planning Grant and Bylaw Modernization Grant Application Authorization| Cathyann LaRose, Planning and Zoning Director
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to authorize Town staff to apply for, execute, and administer, a Municipal Planning Grant and a Bylaw Modernization Grant through the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, as outlined in the memo from Cathyann LaRose, Planning & Zoning Director, dated October 19, 2023, and sign the municipal resolution forms for each grant program.
Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall explained these grant applications would provide funding for two projects relating to work on form-based codes and updates to regulations applicable to the Severance Corners/Growth Center area identified as high priority by the Planning Commission, also noting that the projects will be completed with or without the additional funding.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy asked about the likelihood of receiving these grants, and Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall explained that these projects meet the grants’ requirements, but that they are still competitive state funding opportunities.
The MOTION carried.
b. ACTION: Letter of Support for Grant to Advance Shore Acres Stormwater Project | Aaron Frank, Town Manager
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to authorize the Selectboard Chair to sign the letter of support for grant funding to advance the Shore Acres stormwater project.
Town Manager Aaron Frank explained this letter is a part of a VTrans grant application to support stormwater improvements on a project identified in the Malletts Bay Scoping Study, specifically to improve the moorings stream watershed in the Shore Acres neighborhood off of West Lakeshore Drive.
The MOTION carried.
8. Additional Business | Manager’s Recommendations
There were no further recommendations.
9. Informational Items
There were no comments on the informational items.
10. Announcements
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger announced that this morning the Colchester Recreation Center Groundbreaking took place with Town staff; project architects, engineers, and contractors; the Colchester Recreation Advisory Board; the Colchester Selectboard; and several other project contributors or supporters. She noted that Town Manager Aaron Frank, herself, Recreation Advisory Board Chair Adriane Martin, and Parks and Recreation Director Glen Cuttitta spoke at the event, welcoming, thanking, and celebrating the folks who have put in two decades of work, which has all led to the beginning of the Colchester Recreation Center’s construction. She exclaimed that they are all excited to watch our community’s health, economy, and social fabric flourish with the addition of this new, year-round, multigenerational, recreational space upon its completion, and while they recognized today’s important milestone with a small group of folks that played key roles in bringing us where we are today, they look forward to the grand opening of the Colchester Recreation Center when they can invite the entire community and honor all who have contributed to bring this community desire to fruition.
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger also congratulated Colchester High School senior Jacques Alfan, CHS alum Adolphe Alfani and CHS educator Martin Burnod who all became U.S. citizens earlier this week.
11. ACTION | Warrants
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve Warrant #24-12 in the amount of $440,339.82.
The MOTION carried.
Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall noted there was a question regarding clarification on Line 17 of Warrant #24-12, the vendor being Axon Enterprises with a cost of $86,658.90, and she confirmed this purchase is for the replacement of all tasers in the Police Department.
12. Executive Session
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to find that premature general public knowledge of an evaluation of a public officer or employee 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 Maureen P. Dakin to enter executive session to discuss an evaluation of a public officer or employee under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313(a)(3) of the Vermont Statutes, Executive Sessions.
The MOTION carried.
13. Adjournment**
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to adjourn the meeting.
The MOTION carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.