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Wallingford Fire District No. 1 MINUTES OF THE PRUDENTIAL
COMMITTEE MEETING Called to Order: Chris Rabtoy called the meeting to order at Visitors:
Warren Allen, Tim Biagini, Joel Mudge and Stephane Goulet Proposed Fire Truck
Quotes: Mr. Goulet came before
the board to give an update on a revised price given by E-one for the proposed
fire truck. The revised cost is
$243,841.00 from $251,611, he said additional savings were being worked on and
this figure is without financing. C.
Rabtoy made the motion to put on the ballot with the cost of the proposed fire
truck of $243,841.00 and have financing in place.
Mr. McPhee seconded the motion. The
additional steps need to take place; the language on the ballot will need to be
formulated; the financial information would need to be in place (C. McPhee and
R. Regula will be researching financial institutions for rates) the clerk will
contact the financing company associated with E-One to obtain updated loan
information. Then the informational
meeting and vote would be warned. No
further discussion. Motion carried
(2/1). Ms. Regula voted no and
stated that she does not agree that we need a new fire truck. Truck Out of
Service: The breaks have gone on
the old pumper, so the truck has been taken out of service.
Chief Allen mentioned that he has a couple of interested parties that my
want to purchase the truck. Any
proceeds from the sale will be earmarked for payment for the proposed new fire
truck. Approval for
Minutes: C. Rabtoy made the
motion to approval the minutes for C. Rabtoy made the motion to accept the minutes for Prudential Committee
Pay Order: C. Rabtoy made the motion to accept the pay orders as
presented. R. Regula made mention to
a bill for the lodge that did not have a purchase order approval for it.
At the next meeting the committee will review draft contract for the
caretaker. Then invite J. Bowen to a
meeting to discuss his contract and procedures.
C. Rabtoy said he would give J. Bowen a call and remind him again that he
needs to obtain a purchase order for purchases over $50.00.
C. McPhee seconded the motion. No
further discussion. Motion carried
(3-0). Old Business: Haley Resident Tree
Removal R. Regula checked to see if there was someone available for clean up
and she said nobody wanted to touch it. C.
Rabtoy said that he doesn’t have time right now in his schedule and he would
check back and see if his guy has some time to do it and decide on it at the
next meeting. Electric Analysis
for Fire Department: Taft Terrace Update:
R. Regula reported that she spoke to P. Baker and Ms. Turgeon’s home on
Taft Terrace was taken care of. He
solved the issue with the low grade in her yard due to the land settling from a
project took place some time ago. Bill Cobleigh
Project: C. Rabtoy is still
working with Phil Baker to get an updated bill for the Bill Cobleigh project
(insulating water pipes underground). We
still do not have one. R. Regula
offered to contact P. Baker a call and request the information.
C. Rabtoy is hopeful to have the information by next meeting. Lodge Reimbursement:
There was a lodge renter that had canceled their event and the
possibility that the date was going to be taken by someone else.
Well that did not happen, so no reimbursement will be made to the renter
that cancelled. J. Bowen said he
would follow up and let the renter know that they would not be given back their
deposit and offer them another date instead. Board of Abatement:
A notice had been sent out for a Board of Abatement for Fire Hydrant
Replacement: The replacement of
the fire hydrant and the installation of a water release valve on Tent Rentals:
There had been a request made by J. Drew’s family to rent the
tent from the Lodge for a fundraising event taking place in October.
The cost is $125.00 and set up fee of $75.00.
C. McPhee made the motion to wave the rental fee because J. Drew was an
employee for the water district. C.
Rabtoy seconded the motion. The set
up fee of $75.00 will be paid by the Drew family to J. Bowen.
No further discussion. Motion Carried (3/0). A brief discussion for the fees associated with renting the
tent took place. In the touch the
cost is $125.00 and for outside of the town there’s another charge.
There is documentation somewhere as to the costs. New Business: Blue C. McPhee suggested that a notice be placed in the
water/sewer bills notifying residents to trim their hedges along side the
sidewalks so that the sidewalks can be snowplowed a little more effectively and
make available paths to water meters so water readings would be more accessible
for readings. C. Rabtoy said that he would stop by the Department of
Transportation (DOT) to request someone to attend a meeting to discuss ways to
assist with the snow that builds up on the sidewalks from state road plows.
Last year it was impossible to move the snow/salt from the sidewalks it
was just too heavy and dense to move with the Fire Districts equipment. Water/Sewer
Ordinances: C. Rabtoy checked
with M. Bird regarding the Water/Sewer Ordinances and they were adopted and put
up for the public to review and file any reservations or comments. The clerk
asked R. Regula if that was right? R.
Regula said yes. The clerk said if
that was the case, and then they should be adhered to regarding the finance
charges that were outlined in the ordinances.
For example: Sewer Ordinance,
Section 819 – January 31, 2002: All bills unpaid fifteen (15) days after the
due date shall have an eight per cent (8%) penalty charged, plus one per cent
(1%) interest for the first three (3) months and one and one half per cent (1 ½%)
interest thereafter; and such unpaid bills together with penalty and interest
shall be a lien upon the real estate being served.
Water Ordinance, Section 20 – Public Comments: No comments. Other
Business/Announcements: Executive Session: C. Rabtoy made a motion to go into executive session under
personnel issues. C. McPhee seconded
the motion. R. Regula stated that we
are not to go into executive session to discuss personnel issues that involve
elected officials. Executive session
did not commence. The clerk requested that the board clarify the
responsibilities of a clerk/treasurer, since members of the board have either
held the position(s) or have served on the board long enough to know the outline
of the position(s) responsibilities. The
clerk had heard that things are not being done right in the office and wanted
the boards’ feedback of any issues or concerns that may have with the office.
Clerk stated there were no identified issues given.
If someone could come up with issues and offer suggestions, it would be
appreciated. C. McPhee interjected
and said that he’s only heard of the high water/sewer rates and nothing else. Nobody
had any issues. C. Rabtoy made mention to the issue of Board of Abatement
with regards to the correct statute that relates directly to the Prudential
Committee/Fire District. The clerk
said that she had heard of two ways to conduct/warn a Board of Abatement and she
wanted to make sure that it was done correctly. The message the clerk received is that she’s listening to
the wrong people. The clerk
asked the board if they were indeed directing her to the correct place to find
the answers. When answers are needed
the board has directed the clerk to contact Vermont League of Cities for the
correct statute that relates the issue(s) at hand. Another question was if the Accountant has knowledge of
government accounting. The clerk has
a taped phone message from the Accountant stating that he would not be able to
assist the clerk with some information at this time, because he’s working on
school budgets. The clerk
asked the board with that does it mean that that he does have knowledge of
government budget practices. C.
McPhee said that if he’s a CPA and in an area outside of his practice, he has
the responsibility of tell us that he can not do it.
With that said C. McPhee would imagine that he has exposure.
C. Rabtoy said that he’s not going to jeopardize his CPA license to do
an audit. The clerk mentioned that R. Regula had put in a written
request on some documents. R. Regula
interjected and said all that she wanted is some reports.
What she’s looking for is the check register from January to now.
She wants to establish her own way of budget figuring.
C. Rabtoy asked if there was anything in particular that she’s looking
for. She said no, just going from
January and going from each month and putting into a budget format that she can
understand, so she knows exactly where we are at and how much is left. There was a brief discussion as to the clerk working with
the accountant on questions that arise and if she had permission to talk with
him. C. Rabtoy said that the clerk
does not have to have the boards’ permission to speak to the Accountant.
He’s not sure why there’s that impression.
The clerk had a taped phone message from the accountant stating that if
there are questions to contact R. Regula with them. Again,
what are the guidelines as clerk/treasurer?
R. Regula said that she was under the impression that the accountant was
hired to due the audit and nothing else. The
clerk said that he was to set up our budgets as well.
C. Rabtoy asked R. Regula if she had contacted the Accountant and say
that the clerk was not allowed to speak to him.
She said no, all she asked him when she first came on the board was a
breakdown of the bill and his time. She
wanted to know what he did. The
clerk asked R. Regula if she got it and she hadn’t.
The Clerk mentioned that there was an auditors report for each year
audited. C. Rabtoy said that he
isn’t sure if anyone can ask an accountant of their records.
R. Regula said yes he does and that was per the State Auditor.
Anybody that we pay any amount to becomes public record.
The Accountants bill shows the hours worked.
C. Rabtoy asked R. Regula if she had looked at the Auditors Report and
she said that she looked through it, but it didn’t tell her his breakdown of
his time. The clerk mentioned that a
3 year audit was completed in 2 months on all the account funds.
C. Rabtoy said that what comes into the Fire District Office becomes
public record, but when requesting other people’s records he’s not sure that
they are. R. Regula wanted to know
how the Accountant came up with the hours. C. McPhee said that at the end of the year that there may
be some items that did not get addressed that were sited in the audits.
R. Rabtoy said that a lot of them have been addressed.
The clerk wanted to know if at anytime where there policies and
procedures somewhere in the office. So
if there was some work that is already done on policies and procedures to please
let the clerk know, so that it can be added to the policy and procedure book.
C. Rabtoy said that it’s not reasonable to expect that we are going to
have that list done in one year and when we started off with a lot of things in
a big mess. R. Regula said that we
aren’t a big municipality. C.
McPhee agreed and we don’t have the manpower.
A brief discussion ensued regarding some of items that were noted on the
report. C. McPhee said that for the next group of people that come
on the board we don’t’ want them to be scratching their heads saying I
don’t know. We are trying to find
history and do things the right way and we are trying and we are a very small
organization. The big thing is that
if we are going to be audited every year, since we have federal funds we have to
comply and its’ our fiduciary responsibility and the three board members need
to share in the responsibility as well and comply. He
said that he believes that we have made progress with the Accountants
recommendations and we are making an effort. Boys Camp (Lodge)
Taxes: C. Rabtoy made mention
that he had been in contact with VLCT and met with the Town’s Lister’s
regarding the Boys Camp (Lodge) and the school taxes associated with the
property. In the best interest of
the districts residents, he would like to take a look at the property deed and
see if the district could transfer the property to the Town.
That way the people would not be charged school tax for a piece of
property that would fall in the guidelines of the Town.
The board will review the deed and if it needs to be given to an Attorney
for review a decision will be made at a future meeting. Next Meeting: The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Prudential
Committee will be held at on Adjournment: C. Rabtoy made the motion that the meeting be adjourned.
C. McPhee seconded the motion. No
further discussion. Motion carried
(3-0). Meeting was adjourned at Respectfully Submitted: Stephanie P. Biagini - Clerk/Treasurer
Date Approved: |
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