| | COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD May 14, 2024 @ 6:15 p.m. (Public portion beginning at 6:30 p.m.) 781 Blakely Road 3rd Floor Conference Room ____________________ | 00 |
1. Call Meeting to Order | Executive Session I | 6:15 p.m.
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to enter Executive Session for the purpose of an interview for consideration of an appointment to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Commissioners as authorized under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313 (a) (3) of the Vermont Statutes, Executive Sessions.
The MOTION carried.
2. Roll Call | Pledge of Allegiance | 6:30 p.m.
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; Alicia Tebeau-Sherry, Communications Coordinator; Julie Graeter, Town Clerk & Treasurer
Others Present: William Glinka, Jamie Balch
Pledge of Allegiance
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Citizens to be Heard*
There were no citizens to be heard.
4. ACTION | Consent Agenda
a. Minutes of 4.23.2024 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 April 23, 2024
The MOTION carried.
5. Special Business Items
a. Information: Town Offices Hours Change | Alicia Tebeau-Sherry, Communications Coordinator & Aaron Frank, Town Manager
Communications Coordinator Alicia Tebeau-Sherry shared the change in hours for the Town Offices beginning June 3rd, provided the results of surveys and research that led to the decision, and the benefits of this change. Town Manager Aaron Frank added that this change will be communicated via the Town newsletter, social media, and physical postings.
b. ACTION: Town Clerk’s Office Proposed Fee Changes | Julie Graeter, Town Clerk/Treasurer
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve the changes to Town Clerk’s Office non-state mandated fees, to be effective July 1, 2024, as outlined in the memo from Town Clerk/Treasurer Julie Graeter and schedule a review of the said fees every three years.
Town Clerk & Treasurer Julie Graeter reviewed the proposed fee increases to dog licensing, passport photos, and cemetery services in an effort to better manage departmental costs.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy asked how common dog licensing is among dog owners in Colchester, and Julie explained dog licensing has been increasing slowly towards pre-COVID numbers, especially after annual mailings reminding residents to license their dogs.
After discussion regarding the costs for providing this service and consideration of the length of time since the last fee increase, the Selectboard members agreed to increase the passport photo fee to $20.
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger and Selectboard member Charlie Papillo shared that they would like to continue offering a discount on cemetery services to veterans. Selectboard Vice Chair Tom Mulcahy asked that the funding model be reviewed by Town staff to determine the best source for funding cemetery maintenance. Selectboard member Charlie Papillo asked how many plots for veterans are requested each year, and Julie noted that the cemetery in the Fort has the most requests, although there are no available plots there. Selectboard member Maureen P. Dakin asked if when a customer requests a burial, are they made aware of the veteran burial benefits, and Julie explained they have not been in the past because Town staff was not aware of all the benefits until now. Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger requested that non-residents pay a higher fee for cemetery services; that the motion be amended to not include approval of the proposed cemetery fees; and that a meeting with Town staff and at least two Selectboard members be scheduled in order to learn more and rework the proposed fees for cemetery services.
AMENDED MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to approve the changes to the Town Clerk's non-mandated fees for dog licenses and passports and as amended by the Selectboard to be effective July 1, 2024 as outlined in the May 8, 2024 memo from Town Clerk/Treasurer Julie Graeter and schedule a review of the said fees every three years.
The MOTION carried.
c. ACTION: Malletts Bay Sewer - Revenue Bond Resolution | Aaron Frank, Town Manager & Bryan Osborne, Public Works Director
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to execute the Wastewater System Revenue General Bond Resolution for the Malletts Bay Sewer Project as recommended in a memo dated May 8, 2024 by Town Attorney Brian Monaghan.
Town Manager Aaron Frank explained this bond resolution states that the Malletts Bay Sewer Project debt repayment plan is to only be paid from proceeds collected from wastewater fees and cannot be paid by property taxes.
The MOTION carried.
d. ACTION: Appointment & Re-appointment of Representatives to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Commissioners
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to:
· Appoint Lauren Morlino as the representative to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Commissioners for a 2-year term that will expire on May 31, 2026
· Re-appoint Renae Marshall as the alternate representative to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Commissioners for a 2-year term that will expire on May 31, 2026
The MOTION carried.
6. ACTION | Adjourn to Meeting of Liquor Control Commission
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to temporarily adjourn the meeting of the Selectboard and convene a meeting of the Liquor Control Commission.
The MOTION carried.
7. Public Hearing | Licenses and Petitions
· Amusement License for Sam Mazza’s Farm Market
· Amusement License for Spanked Puppy
· Amusement License for Sunset Drive-In
· Amusement License for Jasper Mine Hall
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to hold a public hearing regarding the following Amusement Licenses for:
· Sam Mazza's Farm Market, 277 Lavigne Road, Colchester, VT 05446
· Vermont Community Investments, d.b.a Spanked Puppy, 116 Main Street, Colchester, VT 05446
· Sunset Drive-In, 155 Porters Point Road, Colchester, VT 05446
· Sandra Gauthier, d.b.a Jasper Mine Hall, 1251 Jasper Mine Road, Colchester, VT 05446
All information included in the packet related to such application 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.
8. Additional Business | Manager’s Recommendations
There were no further recommendations.
There were no questions on the informational items.
10. Announcements
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger shared Colchester Police Chief Pete Hull’s words honoring police services and officers for National Police Week, and thanked the department for their dedicated service.
Town Manager Aaron Frank shared that in response to a Selectboard request to dedicate more time to investing Town revenues, Finance Director Lara Alemy, Town Clerk & Treasurer Julie Graeter, and Technical Services Manager Karen Adams worked together on a plan and the Town has executed and entered into a contract with the Champlain Water District to perform the Town’s wastewater billing along with their water billing, for properties that Champlain Water District provides water services to.
11. ACTION | Warrants
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to approve Warrant #24-31 in the amount of $778,424.50 and Warrant #24-32 in the amount of
$1,232,290.50.
Deputy Town Manager Renae Marshall noted two questions on Warrant #24-32, the first on line 16, vendor Avenu Insights & Analytics, for $1,800 regarding records restoration, and she explained that this cost is for the monthly fees from August 2023 to April 2024 for the cloud-based software that allows the Town’s land records to be digitized and accessible online. The second question was on line 118, vendor SB Signs Inc, for $1,450.49, regarding flag replacement, and she explained that the operations staff reviewed all the flags at all Town facilities and determined which needed to be replaced.
The MOTION carried.
12. Deliberative Session | Licenses and Petitions
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin 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.
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy 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 Tom Mulcahy 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.
14. Adjournment**
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to adjourn the meeting.
The MOTION carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.