May 18

5/18/2009

Town of Johnson
Select board Meeting
Monday, May 18, 2009
Upstairs, Johnson Municipal Building

APPROVED
Select board Members present: Eric Osgood- chair, Howard Romero, Doug Molde, Rocky Hooper.

Others present: Duncan Hastings; Administrator, Rosemary Audibert; Town Clerk, Steve Smith; Road Foreman, Jim Tomlinson from Public Access television, Jessica Flores; AR Clerk, Lois Frey, Troy Kittell, Troy Cherette, Joe Stridsberg, Brad Reed.

Eric called the meeting to order at 7:10pm.

Howard made a motion to approve meeting minutes of April 20, 2009. Rocky seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report:

Rosemary handed out a various spreadsheets regarding delinquent taxes. Those properties go up for tax sale on June 4th at 2:00p.m. Rosemary asked if a board member could be present. Howard agreed to be present. Eric mentioned that the delinquents are mostly trailers. Rosemary asked the Board to look at the comparison spreadsheet. The delinquent increase from last year to this year is $80,000. There are 15 more delinquent accounts this year. Eric asked when the last time this amount was so high. Rosemary stated that it was a few years ago just before the reappraisal. Rosemary estimates that another $110,000 will come in before the end of this year.

Budget status report- Rosemary stated we’re at 80% of the scheduled budget and there’s only 1 ½ months left of the fiscal year. Rosemary mentioned that the Town got the 4th quarter state highway payment in full. Steve asked if JES had paid the Town for snow removal yet. Rosemary said no, but she had sent them a bill.

Steve Smith’s Road Foreman’s Report:

Since last meeting there have been 5 inches of rain. The winter equipment has been painted. We received some heavy rain on the 9th and had some minor washing. Also had some high winds on the 14th, which resulted in some downed trees. The grader has been going every day and will be ready for chloride in a couple weeks. Steve spoke with Ellis O’Hear about some minor damage to the Plot Road caused by the snow mobile trail groomer. They will have to change the road crossing. There are some culverts that need to be changed as soon as school is out. There is a bridge abutment on the Reservoir Road that needs to be repaired. Last week Steve discovered numerous signs that were vandalized and run over on Clay Hill and Foote Brooke Roads. These signs will cost about $50.00 each to replace or about $500 total. Steve sent a detailed list of the damage to the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department. He’s waiting to hear back on their investigation.

Duncan mentioned that the abutment on Reservoir Road is pretty critical. Steve said the approximate amount to repair it is $3500. Eric asked if they could bill it out of next year’s budget. Steve said it could wait until July. Steve has a road-closed sign there now. The Board agreed to hold off on repair until July.

Duncan and Steve had prepared a Paving spreadsheet and handed it out to the Board. Plot Road and Wescom Road are completed. Duncan spoke to AOT and Johnson will not be eligible this year for any paving money from the state.

7:30 p.m. Margo arrived.

Duncan asked for direction on paving roads. Do we want to put money into Class II roads or wait until next year when we’ll be eligible for grants? Railroad Street would be the top candidate for a grant. Eric asked Steve and Duncan if they could prioritize their paving list and present it at next meeting. Howard asked why Sinclair isn’t on the list.

Steve stated that the Pike plant is closing down here in Johnson. The price per ton of asphalt is going to jump. Steve estimates he has another 10 years of gravel left before they have to buy another 4 acres. Eric asked Steve to stay to listen to Troy Charette at 8:00.

Eric mentioned the select board collaborative on June 11th at Green Mountain Tech Center.

Duncan’s Report:

Eric asked Duncan if he had heard an update of the VSC tax exemption. Duncan hasn’t heard a thing yet.

#9 Ad Hoc Community representative- Duncan has written an advertisement to put in the News & Citizen. Doug suggested he send it to the Lamoille County Planning Commission. Duncan suggested advertising any vacancies that we have for various boards,

Unfortunately, Sharon Burns won’t be able to do the flowers this year. Does anyone know anyone who’d like to volunteer?

#1 Noise waiver request for Field Days-

Margo made a motion to approve noise waiver request for Lamoille County Field Days on July 24,25, &26. Doug seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.

#2 Noise waiver request for Jen Stefanski’s birthday party. There will be a band.

Howard made a motion to approve the noise waiver for the Stefanski’s. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.

Lois Frey mentioned Johnson will host a Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays at the Marvin Lot in the Village beginning next Tuesday. Does the Board authorize sandwich board signs announcing the market?

Howard made a motion to approve the use of signs. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion approved.

Duncan asked for candidates for the LCPC’s project management award and the community service award. Margo mentioned the Hub. The Fire station was mentioned if it still qualifies. Duncan said Rosemary came up with a candidate for the community service award but Duncan didn’t reveal the name for the element of surprise.

Troy Cherette regarding Sargent Drive:

Troy stated that the Johnson Heights Road association requests Sargent Drive and Adam’s court to be reclassified to be a Town road. Sargent Drive has a 50’ right of way that’s deeded property and could be given to the Town. Eric stated that the Policy states that the road would have to be paved in order to qualify for reclassification. The policy states that if the road is coming off a paved highway it needs to be paved as well. Eric stated that if they’d like to invest that kind of money to pave it then they could come back to the Town with a request. Rocky asked the length of the road. Troy said over 2 acres. It’s 50 feet wide. There are 15 houses on the road. Troy spoke to an engineer about drainage for the road. It’d cost the homeowner’s about $20-25,000 to design and implement a drainage system for the road. Eric stated again that the paving of the road is a policy that was instituted years ago. Troy countered that Sargent Drive is in better shape than many existing Town roads. Troy said the policy is flawed- nobody can get a road taken over by the Town if they have to pay a million dollars to have it paved. Joe Stridsberg mentioned that the taxes that those houses in the development add up to more than the upkeep would be. Duncan asked Joe if he uses other roads in Town. Duncan stated that the reason for the implementation of the policy in the first place was for the Town not to have to pay for the paving of a development road. It was instituted to have the developer pay for paving instead of the taxpayers.

Duncan stated they have every right to petition the residents of Johnson for reclassification. Then there’d be a legal hearing and public meeting. Howard mentioned he’d like the policy put before the Town because it affects the taxpayers. Troy asked again why the road had to be paved in order to be taken over by the Town. Howard posed what happens in the future when the next homeowners want the road paved. Doug mentioned that appropriate sub division regulation would solve this situation. Doug stated that this development is a great one and he’d like to see many, many more developments like this one in Johnson.

Eric stated that as this policy currently stands you can’t reclassify that road in your development. The cost of paving was discussed. Duncan estimates it’d cost $40-45,000. per mile.

#2 VLCT Legislative Policy Committee nomination form. The Board decided to keep Duncan on the Committee.

#3 Surplus Property Certification- Authorization to purchase form allowing the Town to purchase from State Surplus Supply.

Howard made a motion to authorize Duncan to complete form. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.

Brad Reed cam in to report on the Masonic Hall. It was decided that the Mason should hire an engineer to look at the foundation.

#4 Jessica’s suggested Intern from JSC- The Board directed Jessica to pursue an intern.

#5 Dirt Bike track survey by Andre de Saint Phalle. Eric stated that Andre did the survey for the dirt bike track. The select board did not authorize or sanction it. The select board had no knowledge of it until after it circulated.

Doug suggested the Board sit on this issue to see if they come to a resolution.

#6 Resident Engineer for the Pearl Street Bridge is Carl Gleason. Duncan has e-mailed the board members with a schedule of the bridgework. The bridge will not be ready for winter; the temporary two-way bridge will be open. S.D. Ireland is mobilizing the project on June 1st.

#7 FEMA survey- Howard will complete the survey.

#8 Select Board collaboration- Duncan, Howard, and Rocky will attend.

#10 LHP reserving housing?- Duncan spoke with Rita Pitkin from LHP; housing cannot be reserved. It’s on a first come first served basis.

#12 Highway access permit for sewer line project on Powerhouse bridge- this will add an additional 10% in State share highway grants.

Hess Health order- the lot is cleaned up, Charles Hess owes the Town attorney fees due by June 31st.

Lois Frey spoke about Tuesday Night Live, noise waiver application- It starts on July 7th from 6 to 8, on the Legion Ball Field. The Johnson Historical Society is open Tuesdays from 2:00 to 5:00. Also, the Farmer’s Market will be on Tuesdays. For Tuesday night live opening night they’re having the Mud City Ramblers play.

Howard made a motion to approve the noise waiver application for Tuesday Night Live. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion approved.

Howard made a motion to adjourn. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion approved.

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by,

Jessica D. Flores

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