Unapproved Minutes

Braintree Selectboard Meeting

Nov. 7, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.

Present:

Megan O’Toole, Chair of the Selectboard Kris Haupt, Chair of the Cemetery Commission

Richard Bowen, Selectboard Member Jen Phipps, Resident

Keegan Haupt, Selectboard Member Linda Lubold, WRVA Rep.

Daniel Burson, Selectboard Member Jessie Brassard, Treasurer

Loren Bent, Selectboard Member Holly Jarvis, Administrative Assistant

Chris Blanchard, Cemetery Commissioner

Ed Smith, Cemetery Commissioner

Jeff Masterson, Road Commissioner

Ms. O’Toole called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

The Board reviewed the agenda: adding a letter from Vtrans under the highway report, removed the phone system from the agenda, and added a conversation with Ms. Phipps regarding the Town’s energy use, along with appointing a signer for the System for Award Management (SAM) letter designating the authorized Entity Administrator.

On motion of Mr. Haupt, seconded by Mr. Bowen, the Board approved the minutes of Oct. 16, 2018. Mr. Bowen, Mr. Haupt, and Mr. Bent voted to approve the minutes. Ms. O’Toole abstained because she was not in attendance of that meeting, and Mr. Burson had not yet arrived.  

Citizen’s comments:

• Mr. Kris Haupt asked about the number of part-time highway department members helping with the sand pile. Mr. Masterson advised that there had been three part-time people working on the sand pile.  He indicated that this is normal.

Guests

• Ms. Phipps advised that a state non-profit hosting an Energy Dashboard online wants to post information about the Town’s energy bills and usage. They also want information about improvements over the last 2 years. The Board agreed that they are welcome to use that information as the data is a matter of public record. Ms. Phipps and Ms. Jarvis will work to get that information together.
• Ms. Brassard advised that the audit went well.

Reports

• Ms. Lubold advised that Randolph’s Town Manager, Mr. Adolfo Bailon, has contacted WRVA indicating that Randolph would like to see a major cut in ambulance costs to Randolph. He would like to see $115,000 cut from Randolph’s bill, which would mean that Randolph would be paying $40 per capita (down from the $63 per capita the member towns are currently paying). He estimated that if those costs were shifted to the remaining Towns they would pay $77 per capita.  He also estimated that if Randolph was to leave WRVA the remaining towns would end up paying $101 per capita. He is going to be at the next WRVA meeting. He and the WRVA Board will discuss options. Ms. Lubold invited members of the Selectboard to attend the upcoming WRVA meeting
• Mr. Masterson provided the Highway Report.
• The Board reviewed the letter from VTrans regarding the width of Farnsworth Brook Road, in preparation for the bridge replacement on Route 12.  On motion of Ms. O’Toole, seconded by Mr. Burson, the Board unanimously approved replying to VTans by selecting the option that indicates that the ROW is 3 rods wide.
• Ms. O’Toole reported on the meeting she went to regarding a joint recreational plan with Randolph, Brookfield, and Braintree. It seemed the idea was to pool money to expand the recreational opportunity for adults and teens in the area. Brookfield’s representative didn’t attend the meeting.  Ms. O’Toole is waiting to see future correspondences but suspects that a venture with Randolph may not be beneficial to Braintree at this time.
• Mr. Kris Haupt provide a Cemetery Commission report: He indicated that the budget for next year can be the same as last year. The Commission has appointed Mike Gaidys, and Kris Blanchard to fill the two open positions until Town Meeting. Mr. Haupt is the chair of the Commission again. The Commission has been talking with Mike Ferris about fencing in the undeveloped south end of Mountain Cemetery so he can let his cows graze there. This would let the land be used, and mean that the Town would not have to have it brush hogged annually. The Board agreed to support the Commission in their decision regarding fencing that unused portion of the Cemetery.

Old business

• On motion of Ms. O’Toole, seconded by Mr. Burson, the Board unanimously approved the winter maintenance policy.

• • Town Office projects were discussed. The person from GMP has marked where the heat pumps should be placed. The electrician will be coming on Friday to see what will need to be done to install the heat pumps. The concerns about getting an on demand water heater for the office were resolved. One will be installed.
    • The regulator for the furnace at the Town Hall needs replacing, currently the heat from the kitchen is heating the entire building. The regulator will be replaced soon.
  • The Hydroseeder was tabled until the next meeting.
  • The budget was briefly discussed.

• • • The Health insurance plan details and changes were discussed.

New business

• • The Board reviewed the request for assistance from Randolph Region Re-Energized request for assistance. Contact information will be provided.  

• On motion of Mr. Haupt, seconded by Ms. O’Toole, the Board unanimously appointed Ms. O’Toole as the signer for the System for Award Management (SAM) letter designating the authorized Entity Administrator.

On motion of Mr. Bowen, seconded by Ms. O’Toole, the Board unanimously approved the payment orders.

On motion of Ms. O’Toole, seconded by Mr. Burson, the Board unanimously approved going into executive session to discuss a personnel matter in accordance with 1 VSA section 313(a)(3).

On coming out of the executive session, there were no decisions.

On motion of Ms. O’Toole, seconded by Mr. Haupt, the Board unanimously adjourned the meeting at 7:23 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Holly Jarvis