PITTSFIELD SELECT BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
DATE: January 21, 2020
PRESENT: Charles Piso , Matt Corron, Ann Kuendig, Marylou Scofield, Sarah Gallagher, Herb Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, Trish Jarecki, Bruce & Karen Shaw, Media – Onion River Public TV, Herald of Randolph, Mountain Times
AGENDA
Agenda Modifications: Correspondence #4 – ARC News, #5 – Town Financial Reports, #6 – Town Clerk Letter, #7 – US Dept of Commerce; New Business #1 – Harvey’s Excavating outside contractor application, #2 – Town Meeting Petition
Minutes Approval: Budget Meeting Minutes January 16, 2020
Public Present:
Correspondence:
1.VTrans town highway and bridge restrictions
2.Corrected 2019 Equalization study results
3.VLCT News
4.ARC News
5.Town Financial Reports
6.Town Clerk Letter
7. US Dept of Commerce
Old Business:
1.Jarecki and Pittsfield residents parking petition
2.CV South letter
3.Buyout discussion & demolition plans for Abrams property
4.NRCS Grants
5.Complaint-Motion for VLCT Recommendation
New Business:
1.Harvey’s Excavating - outside contractor application
2.Town Meeting Petition
3.Other
Adjournment
Meeting Opened, Minutes Approval & Agenda Modifications
Charlie motioned to open the meeting at 6:02 p.m., Ann seconded, meeting opened. All are in favor of the agenda modifications: Correspondence #4 – ARC News, #5 – Town Financial Reports, #6 – Town Clerk Letter, #7 – US Dept of Commerce; New Business #1 – Harvey’s Excavating outside contractor application, #2 – Town Meeting Petition. Charlie motioned to approve the minutes of the Budget Meeting held January 16, 2020; Matt seconded; minutes approved.
Correspondence:
1.VTrans town highway and bridge restrictions – Information forwarded to George
2.Corrected 2019 Equalization study results – CLA was corrected
3.VLCT News – January/February 2020 Issue
4.ARC News – Mapping/GIS Magazine, no action
5.Town Financial Reports – Distributed to board members to review
6.Town Clerk Letter – Distributed letters addressed to board members from Trish Fryer. Complaint from today on a separate incident. Town counsel recommends tabling discussion to the next meeting to allow board to investigate.
7.US Dept of Commerce – Report from the Census Bureau with town boundaries. Request verification of information by March 1, 2020. Forward to the Listers.
Old Business:
1.Jarecki and Pittsfield residents parking petition – Charlie updated Trish Jarecki via phone. Charlie checked the Park & Ride Grant and there are no restrictions for operating the space. He then consulted VLCT and they provided two options: a.) Have a discussion and non-binding vote at the end of Town Meeting; or b.) One of the citizens that signed the petition may formally request the Select Board to re-visit the ordinance to make changes. Trish and Joyce request to have the ordinance reviewed at the next meeting. Charlie will contact George about attending.
2.CV South letter – District 3 Environmental letter indicating CV Oil is requesting an amendment. Charlie will ask Greg Martin about it. The board is considering a letter of support, if needed.
3.Buyout discussion & demolition plans for Abrams property – Closing for town to purchase the property is scheduled for 1/30/20 at 10 a.m. Buildings will be demolished and town will own the land. There will be a discrepancy in the financials until the town is reimbursed for buy-out and the demolition is completed.
4.NRCS Grants – Mitigation grants from the April flood event. Parmenter Place erosion on town property is eligible for an armored bank of approximately three feet thick and 200 feet long. NRCS does not provide funds to private property owners. The section along Tweed River Drive is eligible to be armored with approximately five feet thick and 100 feet long. The cost is $143,000 with a $30,000 match from the town. The board will discuss further
5.Complaint-Motion for VLCT Recommendation – Charlie spoke to VLCT and per their attorney the town is eligible to receive 3 hours of counsel through PACIF insurance policy. The town’s complaint policy is specific to conflict of interest and ethical standards, not harassment. Discussion is limited to the motion to be made and not the complaint. Charlie motioned to allow the board chair to bring in outside counsel as recommended by VLCT/PACIF to obtain an opinion for the next steps in handling the complaint; it will be limited to the 3 hours covered by the insurance policy and he will obtain an hourly rate if more time is needed; Matt seconded the motion; all in favor – two yes (Charlie and Matt); one no (Ann); motion carried.
New Business:
1.Harvey’s Plumbing and Excavating - outside contractor application: Applications are renewable every three years. Harvey’s submitted required paperwork for board approval. Charlie motioned to approve Harvey’s renewal; Ann seconded; motion carried.
2.Town Meeting Petition – A petition was submitted to the Town Office as follows: Prohibit the sales and/or dispersing of recreational marijuana, and/or marijuana products, including but not limited to solvents, and edibles, within the town of Pittsfield. Petition needed 20 verified signatures and there are 12 (5% of voters requires); must be received 45 days prior to Town Meeting so it is too late; and VLCT said the language is not correct. The board does not know who submitted the petition. No action.
3.Other – Joyce asked for clarification on the $5,000 spending limit mentioned in the newspaper article. Office computer was budgeted and purchased based on the recommendation of the town’s IT consultant. Digitizing records is very expensive, especially land records. Herb stated the Listers have NEMRC contracted for mapping and re-appraisal; all the maps will be digitized.
Next Meeting Date: February 4, 2020 Regular Meeting
Adjournment: Charlie motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 p.m.; Matt seconded; meeting adjourned.
Approved Date: February 11, 2020 Recorded by: s/Tyna Gallagher
s/Charles Piso
s/Matt Corron
s/Ann Kuendig
DATE: January 21, 2020
PRESENT: Charles Piso , Matt Corron, Ann Kuendig, Marylou Scofield, Sarah Gallagher, Herb Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, Trish Jarecki, Bruce & Karen Shaw, Media – Onion River Public TV, Herald of Randolph, Mountain Times
AGENDA
Agenda Modifications: Correspondence #4 – ARC News, #5 – Town Financial Reports, #6 – Town Clerk Letter, #7 – US Dept of Commerce; New Business #1 – Harvey’s Excavating outside contractor application, #2 – Town Meeting Petition
Minutes Approval: Budget Meeting Minutes January 16, 2020
Public Present:
Correspondence:
1.VTrans town highway and bridge restrictions
2.Corrected 2019 Equalization study results
3.VLCT News
4.ARC News
5.Town Financial Reports
6.Town Clerk Letter
7. US Dept of Commerce
Old Business:
1.Jarecki and Pittsfield residents parking petition
2.CV South letter
3.Buyout discussion & demolition plans for Abrams property
4.NRCS Grants
5.Complaint-Motion for VLCT Recommendation
New Business:
1.Harvey’s Excavating - outside contractor application
2.Town Meeting Petition
3.Other
Adjournment
Meeting Opened, Minutes Approval & Agenda Modifications
Charlie motioned to open the meeting at 6:02 p.m., Ann seconded, meeting opened. All are in favor of the agenda modifications: Correspondence #4 – ARC News, #5 – Town Financial Reports, #6 – Town Clerk Letter, #7 – US Dept of Commerce; New Business #1 – Harvey’s Excavating outside contractor application, #2 – Town Meeting Petition. Charlie motioned to approve the minutes of the Budget Meeting held January 16, 2020; Matt seconded; minutes approved.
Correspondence:
1.VTrans town highway and bridge restrictions – Information forwarded to George
2.Corrected 2019 Equalization study results – CLA was corrected
3.VLCT News – January/February 2020 Issue
4.ARC News – Mapping/GIS Magazine, no action
5.Town Financial Reports – Distributed to board members to review
6.Town Clerk Letter – Distributed letters addressed to board members from Trish Fryer. Complaint from today on a separate incident. Town counsel recommends tabling discussion to the next meeting to allow board to investigate.
7.US Dept of Commerce – Report from the Census Bureau with town boundaries. Request verification of information by March 1, 2020. Forward to the Listers.
Old Business:
1.Jarecki and Pittsfield residents parking petition – Charlie updated Trish Jarecki via phone. Charlie checked the Park & Ride Grant and there are no restrictions for operating the space. He then consulted VLCT and they provided two options: a.) Have a discussion and non-binding vote at the end of Town Meeting; or b.) One of the citizens that signed the petition may formally request the Select Board to re-visit the ordinance to make changes. Trish and Joyce request to have the ordinance reviewed at the next meeting. Charlie will contact George about attending.
2.CV South letter – District 3 Environmental letter indicating CV Oil is requesting an amendment. Charlie will ask Greg Martin about it. The board is considering a letter of support, if needed.
3.Buyout discussion & demolition plans for Abrams property – Closing for town to purchase the property is scheduled for 1/30/20 at 10 a.m. Buildings will be demolished and town will own the land. There will be a discrepancy in the financials until the town is reimbursed for buy-out and the demolition is completed.
4.NRCS Grants – Mitigation grants from the April flood event. Parmenter Place erosion on town property is eligible for an armored bank of approximately three feet thick and 200 feet long. NRCS does not provide funds to private property owners. The section along Tweed River Drive is eligible to be armored with approximately five feet thick and 100 feet long. The cost is $143,000 with a $30,000 match from the town. The board will discuss further
5.Complaint-Motion for VLCT Recommendation – Charlie spoke to VLCT and per their attorney the town is eligible to receive 3 hours of counsel through PACIF insurance policy. The town’s complaint policy is specific to conflict of interest and ethical standards, not harassment. Discussion is limited to the motion to be made and not the complaint. Charlie motioned to allow the board chair to bring in outside counsel as recommended by VLCT/PACIF to obtain an opinion for the next steps in handling the complaint; it will be limited to the 3 hours covered by the insurance policy and he will obtain an hourly rate if more time is needed; Matt seconded the motion; all in favor – two yes (Charlie and Matt); one no (Ann); motion carried.
New Business:
1.Harvey’s Plumbing and Excavating - outside contractor application: Applications are renewable every three years. Harvey’s submitted required paperwork for board approval. Charlie motioned to approve Harvey’s renewal; Ann seconded; motion carried.
2.Town Meeting Petition – A petition was submitted to the Town Office as follows: Prohibit the sales and/or dispersing of recreational marijuana, and/or marijuana products, including but not limited to solvents, and edibles, within the town of Pittsfield. Petition needed 20 verified signatures and there are 12 (5% of voters requires); must be received 45 days prior to Town Meeting so it is too late; and VLCT said the language is not correct. The board does not know who submitted the petition. No action.
3.Other – Joyce asked for clarification on the $5,000 spending limit mentioned in the newspaper article. Office computer was budgeted and purchased based on the recommendation of the town’s IT consultant. Digitizing records is very expensive, especially land records. Herb stated the Listers have NEMRC contracted for mapping and re-appraisal; all the maps will be digitized.
Next Meeting Date: February 4, 2020 Regular Meeting
Adjournment: Charlie motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 p.m.; Matt seconded; meeting adjourned.
Approved Date: February 11, 2020 Recorded by: s/Tyna Gallagher
s/Charles Piso
s/Matt Corron
s/Ann Kuendig
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