To listen to a recording of the meeting please click this link: https://bit.ly/3OgfVaZ
Agenda
 
Present: A.J. Ruben (Select Board), Lynda Colton (Business owner), Phil Lipari (Resident) remotely, Richard Gaston (Resident) Micheline Bissell (Planning Commission)
 
Open Meeting: AJ motioned to open the meeting at 6:03pm. Seconded by Lynda.
 
Agenda Modification: NA
 
Minutes Approval:  Lynda moved to approve the minutes of March 31, 2022. Micheline seconded. all in favor.
 
Public Present: Ann Kuendig who agreed to record meeting minutes
 
Correspondence: 
 
Old Business:

1. Review and discuss ARPA Criteria and guidance: AJ informed committee members that the Select Board was going to take the Standard Allowance and utilize the entire award of $165,306.10 under the Revenue Loss Category so the Committee did not need to review the eligibility of any of the spending proposals.
2. Review and discuss Community outreach and timeline workplan: Flyers have been posted around town and on the Town website soliciting spending proposals from the public with a June 1st deadline for submitting ideas to the Committee. Micheline will reach out to Sarah Gallagher for posting on the Face book Page (Pittsfield Vermont News) and will ask Trish Fryer to print 50 of the flyers along with the list of any spending proposals that will be developed by AJ to be handed out at Town Meeting.
3. Review and discuss categories for determining how to assess proposal worthiness. members reviewed the criteria categories for evaluating the spending proposals. The category of eligibility under ARPA rules was eliminated.
4. Review and discuss proposals received so far and work plan to assess each proposal within the determined criteria:

Lynda:  Emergency Equipment for Highway-She discussed with George and there is nothing that highways needs right now.
WRVA donation: Town pays a monthly fee based on population.
Richard: Emergency Shelter: He spoke with Town Hall Building committee about estimates received to date. Committee estimated it would take up to $100,000 for putting in a generator; insta-hot water heater; treat and seal wood beams and paint steel for exposed ceiling, frame & drywall walls; buy and install new kitchen cabinets, countertops and sinks & refrigerator, demo old electrical in basement and install new wiring and fixtures, and install, plumb shower stall upstairs in bathroom. Richard questioned whether the building committee has considered heat pumps for a/c to make the shelter a cooling center as well.
Gazebo: He will discuss details with Caleb but priced a 20 X12 structure at $6,500 with $2,000 for labor and a 30 X 10 wood structure at $33,000. the concrete pad for the structure could run $40,000.
Phil:  Public Transportation: He spoke with Tri-Valley  (Mike Reidner) about a route from Pittsfield to the Welcome Center in Killington on Route 4.
Bicycle/Pedestrian Walkways: He received information regarding grants for scoping sidewalk projects.
Re-paving Basketball Court: He received a 2016 quote for repaving and was told that the Select board will begin soliciting updated quotes this summer.
Micheline:  Broad band/connection fee help:  she will talk with Martha about getting info on determining the need for help.
Developing outdoor events: Again, she will talk with PCC regarding events they are developoing.
AJ:  Cell phone tower: Lynda suggested AJ talk with Stockbridge resident who contracted with AT&T
FEMA properties: He will tour properties to see if they are appropriate for holding events.
 
 
New Business

1. Next Steps: AJ suggested that members be prepared to write a brief paragraph about the spending proposals they have been assigned under each criteria box so the committee can then assign a value of 1-30 in scoring each proposal.  Members agreed to meet again after Town meeting on may 12 at 6pm at Town Hall.

 
 
Adjournment:
Lynda Colton motioned to end the meeting at 7:12pm. Seconded by Richard Gaston. All in favor.
 
Recorded by:
Ann Kuendig


 
Approved:
 
AJ Ruben              

​ 
Pittsfield Rescue Plan Committee
Thursday, March 31, 2022
 
To listen to a recording of the meeting please click this link: https://bit.ly/3NUwEAk

 
Agenda
 
Present: A.J. Ruben (Select Board), Lynda Colton (Business owner), Phil Lipari (Resident), Richard Gaston (Resident),  Katie Stiles (PCC) with members of the public Ann Kuendig (Select board) and Mike Moran (via zoom)
 
Open Meeting: AJ motioned to open the meeting at 6:05pm. Seconded by Lynda.
 
Agenda Modification: NA
 
Minutes Approval:  Lynda approved the minutes at 6:07pm, Phil seconded.
 
Public Present: Ann Kuendig and Mike Moran (via zoom)
 
Correspondence: Amy Alton email
 
Old Business


1.    Organize committee
2.    Discuss responsibilities
3.    Review spending proposals
4.    Discuss criteria
5.    Next steps & meeting dates
 
New Business


1.    Community outreach to gather more ideas and instruct town on timeline
2.    Determine criteria for judgement  
3.    Continue researching proposed ideas
4.    Determine how we will score ideas
 
Next Meeting: April 14th at 6pm at the Town Hall
 
Correspondence: Amy Alton sent an email to the committee urging all to consider taking a pause on rushing allocation of the funds. The committee read the letter out loud and a concern about inflation was voiced in support of spending funding sooner rather than later. The committee determined a June 1st, 2022 deadline for suggestions from the town.
 
New Business:


1.    Community Outreach: The committee agreed it is critical to gather all ideas from residents for consideration. In addition to discussing at the Town Hall Meeting May 3rd, AJ also drafted a flyer to be posted in all public buildings asking for ideas to be submitted for consideration by 6/1/22.
2.    Determine Criteria for Judgement: The committee evaluated the proposed criteria for allocation judgement and determined the following were critical in the decision-making process:
1.    Timeline/Timeframe
2.    Estimated Cost/Percentage of the full award that the project would use
3.    Biggest bang for the buck to the overall community
4.    Impact on disproportionately impacted households
5.    Staff capacity to manage project
6.    Future financial or administrative burdens created by the project
7.    If additional state or federal funds can be leveraged to complete the proposed project
8.    If alternative funding is available for the project
3.    Continue researching proposed ideas: the committee discussed all current proposed ideas and relevant considerations gathered in initial investigation. It was agreed that everyone would continue to do their due diligence to gather more information about each idea so they could be run through the proposed criteria.
4.    Determine how we will score ideas: The committee decided it would score projects against each other within in each criteria category on a 1-X basis and calculate a final score to present to the select board.
 
Adjournment:
Lynda Colton motioned to end the meeting at 7:41pm. Seconded by Richard Gaston. All in favor.
 
Recorded by:
Katie Stiles
Approved: Lynda Colton