Oct
21
10/21/2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Upstairs, Johnson Municipal Building
Rosemary handed out the budget status report. We’re 3 ½ months into the fiscal year and are at approximately 33%. Delinquent taxes received this past month were approximately $8,000. Collecting delinquent taxes has been slow. Last year, at this time, the delinquent taxes were $113,000. A significant amount of property owners have not made payments. Rosemary stated that the fish and wildlife money came in and was $14,355. Rosemary has also received the second state aid highway money. Current year’s tax bill – 7.29% of billed last month, about normal. Cash flow is fine. Information sheets were handed out.
Road Foreman Report:
Steve Smith stated that we received 5.5 inches of rain since the last meeting. There was snow on Sterling on the 13
th of this month.
Doug moved to approve sending a letter to the Duchaines. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed. The Board signed the letter.
#2 Steve requested a letter be sent to Troy Charrette, President of the Sterling Snow Riders snowmobile club requesting a different road crossing on the Plot Road below the Tinker residence. The existing one has damaged the new top coat of asphalt. Troy should contact Steve to work out an agreement on the road crossing.
Howard moved to approve sending a letter to the snowmobile club. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed. The Board signed the letter.
#3 Steve spoke with Duncan about sending Johnson Elementary School a bill for filling in potholes. Bruce Collins, head custodian had asked the Town to fill the potholes. Bill is approximately $300.
Discussion on sending the snow plowing bill to Johnson Elementary School now. Eric thought it would be a good idea to send it early. Steve stated that last year it was done for half price. This year the school will be billed full price. The parking lots and roads are plowed, salted and sanded at Johnson Elementary School.
Howard moved to approve sending a bill to Johnson Elementary School. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.
#4 Rosemary informed the Board about a proposal for digitizing and microfilming land records. At this point there is no backup of records if a disaster were to happen; everything would be lost. ACS Company will come to the office to do the digitizing and microfilming. ACS will charge 10¢ per page; there are approximately 125 books. Doug mentioned that maybe the records should be electronic so the public could go on-line and search. Howard asked if the company could put them on a pdf file. Rosemary stated that the public would have to pay to search on-line. Doug stated that the citizens would benefit from having access to this information. Rosemary said the company will keep a copy of the microfilm and a second copy would stay in Johnson in the safe.
Howard asked Rosemary to get references for this company. Rosemary agreed.
Doug asked where the money would come from to pay for this. Rosemary stated that $3,000 per year is budgeted for preservation. This $3,000 will pay for this. There are 650 pages per book which would cost $68 for each book to be microfilmed.
Doug stated that we should be sure this digitizing and microfilming of the land records can move into the next generation.
Rosemary stated that another option would be to purchase a computer module from NEMRC, our current software company, and have a computer in the office for the public to use to search instead of using the books. This module will cost $275. The old records will be scanned and there will be an index by name linked to records. These will be backed up by NEMRL’s server.
The office would need another computer for the public. The current computer in the office has 200 gigs of free space.
Rosemary will come back to the next meeting with more information.
Howard made a motion to purchase this NEMRL module. Margo seconded. All others voted in favor. Motion passed.
#5 Howard stated that the request for a noise ordinance waiver by the Skate Park Committee needed to be in affect by 8:00 p.m. Live music will play from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. at the Lovin’ Cup.
Howard made a motion to approve the waiver request. Margo seconded. All others voted in favor of issuing the waiver without any conditions. Motion passed.
#6 Discussion on authorizing Duncan to submit a renewal application for VLCT PACIF Insurance. This insurance covers all the general coverage for the town. This is due in early November.
Margo made a motion to approve authorization. Doug seconded. All others voted in favor. Motion passed.
#7 Eric stated that he felt Gail Longley should remain the Green up Coordinator.
Margo made a motion to approve Gail Longley as the coordinator. Howard seconded. All others voted in favor. Motion passed.
Selectboard general information/issues/concerns:
#1 A joint meeting with the Trustees needs to be held before the next budget meeting. Eric will try to set up a meeting on the second Monday in November.
#2 Howard attended the meeting of Main Street Johnson Works. He felt the plans for the Christmas celebration were coming along fine, this committee is very focused, very well organized and were on top of what they found did not work last year.
#3 Marcia Marble called Howard inquiring about flood zones on behalf of Rock Art Brewery. Howard informed Marcia that the Select board would be delighted to have them move into town and will support them however they can.
#4 Eric mentioned that the Board was invited to a lunch on October 22
nd at noon by LEDC at the Green Mountain Tech Center and a banquet on October 24th at 5:00 p.m. by Teen Challenge at Lamoille Union High School.
Old Business
#1 Masonic Building – tower is leaning, whose problem is it? Will town buy it? Very expensive to fix. A mason was to evaluate what the building needs. Town will be responsible if the tower falls and someone gets hurt. How critical is the condition of the tower? Last repair work on tower was just enough to hold it together. Howard will call Doug McCarty to ask about condition of tower. Doug has done other work in town. Howard will also call a few structural engineers to get their opinions.
#2 Eric said that Sharon Burns does not want any kind of recognition for her community service. Eric feels that a proclamation of some sort should be presented to Sharon in a private setting; he will draw something up for the next meeting.
#3 Budget Thoughts – minimal increase this year – get on the school board’s agenda to express concerns – speak with Greg Stefanski who is the Chair of the school board.
# 4 Greg Stefanski was scheduled to arrive at 8:15 p.m. to talk about the CDBG application for Laraway School. The application had been denied and the new
application must be approved before November 3
rd. Board waited until 8:25 and he did not show up.
Howard made a motion to approve the new application. Doug seconded. All others voted in favor. Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:25pm.
Respectfully submitted by,
Joan St. Pierre
#1 Steve would like Duncan to send a letter to the Duchaines on Grow Road stating that the road will no longer be plowed beyond the bus turnaround this winter. Plowing will continue to the end of the class three road. Town policy states that the Town should not be plowing the rest of that section. The Town has been doing this out of courtesy.
Doug stated that some towns have gotten in trouble only plowing some class four roads.
Eric moved to approve meeting minutes of September 21, 2009. Howard seconded. All in favor. Motion approved.
Treasurer’s Report:
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