COLCHESTER SELECTBOARD
OCTOBER 8, 2024 @ 6:30 PM
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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; Norm Baldwin, Director of Public Works; Karen Adams, Technical Services Manager
Others Present: Phyllis Bryden, Doug Bishop
Selectboard Chair Pam Loranger called for citizens to be heard.
Phyllis Bryden addressed the Selectboard and was concerned that vehicles traveling down East Lakeshore Drive exceed the 25-mph speed limit. She requested that the Town consider implementing means or a public process to decrease speeding with traffic calming, understanding that it is challenging to do so with police enforcement.
Town Manager Frank provided information about police availability and agreed to share information with Ms. Bryden about traffic calming.
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 September 24, 2024.
The MOTION carried.
Selectboard Clerk Jacki Murphy abstained since she was not present at the September 24, 2024 Selectboard meeting.
a. ACTION | Development Review Board Appointment Clarification, Aaron Frank, Town Manager
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to clarify that the appointment of Chris Gendron to the Development Review Board, for a one-year term to expire September 30, 2025, shall be as an alternate member of the board.
Maureen P. Dakin suggested that when a Selectboard member is absent, any forms which the Selectboard must sign should either omit the signature line for the absent member or be marked as absent, in order to not give the impression that a member refused to sign their approval. Prior to addressing the suggestion, the Selectboard returned to the motion at hand.
The MOTION carried.
Chair Pam Loranger directed the Town Manager to address the Selectboard signature lines to those present.
b. ACTION | Warn public hearing for amendments to the Colchester Code of Ordinances Chapter 10: Sewers related to sewer allocation within the Malletts Bay Sewer service area
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Tom Mulcahy to warn a public hearing for November 12, 2024 to consider proposed amendments to the Colchester Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10 Sewers recommended in a memo from Norman Baldwin, Director of Public Works dated October 3, 2024.
Public Works Director Norm Baldwin and Technical Services Manager Karen Adams presented proposed amendments to the Colchester Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10, Sewers.
They explained that properties within the Malletts Bay Sewer Service Area (“MBSSA”) are currently regulated by both the State’s On-Site Wastewater Permitting Program and Chapter 10, Sewer, of the Colchester Code of Ordinances but that Chapter 10, as written, does not offer a suitable approach for managing wastewater allocation within the MBSSA during construction and recommended amendments.
“Allocations” refers to the commitment of a certain number of gallons per day from the Town's reserve wastewater treatment capacity for use in connection with a land development project. The Town assigns an amount of allocation to each property when they are connected to the municipal system. Presently, 90% of the total MBSSA allocation is assigned, with 10% of the system's capacity in reserve for future growth. The reserve allocation is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Staff advised the Selectboard that this current approach is not equitable, as it would allow properties whose connection to the system is constructed first to purchase additional allocation, before all users are connected and have the opportunity to do so. Staff is recommending that during the period of construction and for two years after completion of the MBSSA, that individual properties be limited to a 10% increase in their assigned allocation. Staff explained the reason for the two-year time period was to provide time to obtain actual flows and come up with a longer-term allocation process. Staff recommended a public hearing for this matter to be set for November 12, 2024.
The Selectboard asked a few questions, primarily clarification for the definitions of “parcel” and “allocation” as it relates to this matter, and transfers of allocation between parcels. Staff explained that parcel is a single property, rather than multiple properties which can sometimes be called a single parcel if adjacent and owned by a single property owner.
The MOTION carried.
c. ACTION | Action | Authorize the Selectboard Chair to send a letter of Support for the Colchester School Board, District and Superintendent
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy to authorize the Selectboard Chair to send a letter of Support for the Colchester School Board, District, and Superintendent.
The motion was not seconded.
Town Manager Frank stated he had no additional recommendations
There were no questions from the Selectboard regarding the informational items.
Chair Loranger announced that a future Selectboard meeting will include a housing presentation by Planning & Zoning Director Cathyann LaRose.
MOTION was made by Jacki Murphy and SECONDED by Charlie Papillo to approve Warrant #25-10 in the amount of $974,700.32 and Warrant #25-11 in the amount of $1,189,845.29. All Warrants have been reviewed by the Selectboard, Finance Department and the Town Clerk & Treasurer's Office and are available for in-person inspection by request.
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.
MOTION was made by Tom Mulcahy and SECONDED by Jacki Murphy to exit executive session.
The MOTION carried.
MOTION was made by Tom Mulcahy and SECONDED by Maureen P. Dakin to adjourn the meeting.
The MOTION carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:57 p.m.