Wallingford Selectboard MinutesSelectboard Minutes Index August 17, 2009 Present:
Bill Brooks, Frank Bruce, Joshua Gilman, Charlie
Angel, Joan Crowley, and Julie Sharon Visitors: Phil Baker, Joyce
Barbieri, Cheryl Maniery, Kim Maniery, Keith Shelvey, Dennis Stocker, and Sandy
Switzer Chair B. Brooks called the
meeting to order at Minutes.
F. Bruce made a motion to approve
the minutes dated August 3rd, which was seconded by C. Angel.
Motion carried (3-0) with B. Brooks
abstaining. Selectboard Orders. Pay
orders of $38,580.23 were approved on a motion made by F. Bruce and seconded
by J. Crowley. Motion carried (4-0).
Delinquent
Tax Policy.
This item will be deferred until the next meeting when Mr. Perry is
available. However, J. Barbieri
brought up a tax sale issue from the last meeting that wasn’t resolved
concerning a property owner who plans to file bankruptcy again.
Mr. Perry had reported that if bankruptcy proceedings are filed, the tax
sale would stop and the Town would be liable for legal expenses up to that
point. Julie stated that legal
expenses could exceed $1,600 plus an additional $300 for legal notices, based on
nearly $11,000 in delinquent taxes (excluding the current year).
Due to the significant amount of past due taxes, F. Bruce made a motion
to proceed with tax sale; motion seconded by J. Crowley.
Motion carried (4-0). 2010
Tax Rates. At
town meeting, the voters approved stabilizing the real estate taxes for
Wallingford Rescue for another five years. However, Vermont Municipal Assessor
did not update the computer so the parcel was not included in the local
agreement total calculations. Therefore,
the local agreement tax of .0038¢ should be .0043¢.
F. Bruce made a motion to amend the local agreement tax rate at .0043¢,
per $100 of assessed property value, which was seconded by C. Angel.
Motion carried (4-0). [J.
Gilman arrived at Review
of Summer Recreation Program.
Kim and Cheryl Maniery recapped the five-week program, reporting income
of $13,377, expenses of approximately $11,703, with a $1,674 profit.
These figures do not take into account the $4,000 budgeted for salaries,
plus an unpaid returned check for $60 and one unpaid weekly fee of $60.
Clarendon has committed to pay the bus expense for one field trip.
The program included up to 50 children, mostly from Wallingford
and Clarendon. They
are working on a questionnaire for the parents.
Joyce will need to adjust the revenue figure to reflect the lake fees.
C. Maniery discussed some damage found at the rec field and issues at the
lake, which she also reported to Keith Shelvey.
There was discussion on the lifeguard to person ratio, which should be
addressed next year by the Recreation Committee.
The Selectboard were pleased with the successful results. New
Recreation Development Committee Appointments and Berm Removal, Etc.
Phil
Baker addressed the Selectboard on the offer he made to Josh Gilman and Tom
Phillips to remove the berm on J.
Barbieri recalled that the contractor for the pedestrian bridge had offered to
perform the work free for the town; however, J. Gilman had not heard of this.
He recalled Tom Phillips indicating they were not interested in doing the
work, adding that the work would be outside of the contract that they had for
the bridge. This led
into a discussion that the project should be put out to bid with all quotes
obtained in writing. The
Selectboard reviewed the planned activities at the town pit that were recently
approved by Bill Burke.
F.
Bruce offered to contact some companies to determine if the work could be
performed at no cost and generate some income for the material.
J. Gilman volunteered to mark the property so that all bids are comparing
apples to apples, i.e. removing the berm, grading and matting.
J. Gilman urged the Selectboard to get this project finished before
winter. The
Selectboard reviewed J. Gilman’s recommendations for appointments to the newly
created Recreation Development Committee. The
Selectboard agreed that the purpose of this committee is to lay out trails and
make recommendations to the Selectboard on the best possible reclamation and use
of the property. C. Angel felt Tom
Phillips has a conflict of interest since he owns the adjoining property.
J. Gilman responded that Mr. Phillips has attended most of the meetings
and has a lot of input and resources. J.
Barbieri agreed adding that Carol
Macleod would be the offset as she would represent Upstairs
Space.
The Selectboard reviewed a request from Prudential Committee Chair Scott
Sendra to take 30-40 of the Town’s double wooden chairs for use at the Boy’s
Camp. After reviewing the number of
chairs upstairs and seating capacity, B. Brooks made a motion to donate up to 40
of these chairs to the Wallingford Fire District #1, motion seconded by F.
Bruce. Motion carried (5-0). The
Selectboard read a request from Kathy Upton, on behalf of the Wallingford
Seniors, to allow them space on the stage to put a desk, computer, printer, and
filing cabinet for their use. Joyce
would rather keep the stage free for future events, and the Selectboard agreed
to let them have space on the floor (TBD), on a motion made by B. Brooks and
seconded by F. Bruce. Motion carried
(5-0). A
thank-you letter will be sent to the Wallingford Historical Society for their
generous donation of $40,000, which went towards the HVAC installation.
Julie will research past minutes regarding the terms of a new lease for
them. Proposed
Elfin Lake
Public
Comments. Recreation
Committee Chair Keith Shelvey, on behalf of the Committee, expressed concern
that the profit from the summer rec program may not benefit the rec field/lake.
J. Barbieri explained that normally in the past when the books were
closed out each year, any unspent Rec monies were added to their CD.
However, in the last few years, the Selectboard authorized any and all
unspent funds to offset the budget deficit. The Selectboard recommended that the
Rec Committee create a wish list. Dennis
Stocker stopped in to thank the Rec Committee for donating a lake pass for their
Fun Day raffle. Kathy Skaza won a
family pass for the 2010 season. Child
Safety Ordinance. C. Angel
reported that on the advice of representatives from Rutland Probation &
Parole, the Department of Corrections and the Rutland County Sheriff’s
Department, the Selectboard should suspend the effective date of the Child
Safety Ordinance until further notice due to the litigation and possible rulings
from the Supreme Court as to the authority of cities and towns to enact these
ordinances. This ordinance can be
reactivated by a vote of the Selectboard to become effective immediately as the
60-day period has already passed. C.
Angel made a motion to suspend the effective date until further notice; J.
Crowley seconded the motion. Motion
carried (5-0). J. Barbieri is
concerned that we don’t know all of the day care centers in town and asked if
residences of home schooled children should be considered.
J. Crowley discussed Wallingford
Fire District #1 Agreement.
B. Brooks recommended signing the existing agreement knowing that
the Selectboard will look into allowing residents in Fire District 3 to vote on
budget items. J. Gilman recommended
adding a new paragraph to the contract as it wouldn’t violate the charter.
The item was tabled until the next meeting so that B. Brooks can obtain a
legal opinion from VLCT because the Selectboard wants to make sure any change is
legally binding.
Wallingford
Ancient
Roads. Julie reviewed Act
178, which allows towns the opportunity to identify and add to their town
highway map all town highways and trails that it decides to retain as a public
right-of-way. Options and timeframes
were discussed and the Selectboard agreed to hold a public hearing in order to
perform a mass discontinuance that will discontinue all roads not appearing on
the VTrans highway map. Next Meeting. On a motion made by C. Angel and seconded by J. Crowley, the next meeting of the Selectboard will be held Tuesday, September 8th because of the Labor Day holiday. Motion carried (5-0). Other Business. On a motion made by F. Bruce and seconded by C. Angel, a Caterer’s permit was approved for Rubber Boot Farm for a August 29th wedding at the White Rocks Inn. Motion carried (5-0). Julie received an email this afternoon from the U.S. Forest Service that from a quick read through looks like Wallingford is the recipient of $36,137.50 in stimulus funds for gravel replacement on Town Highways 38 & 39 (Wallingford Pond Road). Unfortunately, funds also requested for Blackwood Road and Chapin Road were not included in the approval. Following discussion, F. Bruce made a motion authorizing the Chair to sign the agreement; motion seconded by J. Gilman. Motion carried (5-0). J.
Barbieri informed the Selectboard that she does not include punch cards with the
tax bills for “land only” because refuse brought from outside the Town to
the Transfer Station is forbidden per our ordinance.
However, one property owner came in today asking for his punch cards and
after a brief discussion, the Selectboard agreed that the property owner should
be given the punch cards. Correspondence.
8/12 Recreation Committee
Minutes; 7/16-8/01 Sheriff Reports; Letter from Sheriff Benard; Collections
Report – July; and 7/15-8/12 Constable Reports. The
meeting adjourned at |
|
Home
Hours
& Meetings Town Officers
Selectboard Town Clerk
Phone & E-Mail
© Copyright 2010 Town of Wallingford, Vermont |