Town of Johnson
Select board Meeting
Monday, December 21, 2009
Upstairs, Johnson Municipal Building
UNAPPROVED
Select board members present: Eric Osgood - Chair, Franklin Hooper, Doug Molde, Margo Warden, Howard Romero.
Others present: Brad Reed, Steve Smith; Road Foreman, Don Foote, and Renate Callahan; Johnson Works, Ellis O’Hear; Trustee, Bob Selby, Joan St. Pierre.
Eric called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m.
Howard moved to approve meeting minutes of November 16, 2009. Margo seconded. All in favor. One abstained. Motion approved.
Treasurer’s Report:
Rosemary was not present. Duncan gave the report. Delinquencies: After two quarters of this fiscal year there is approximately $146,000 in late payments. Keep in mind that there are still two quarters left to collect payments for this fiscal year.
The Town typically budgets between $150,000 - $170,000 each fiscal year for delinquent taxes.
Taxes are considered
late if it is still within the fiscal year. Taxes are considered delinquent if it is after the fiscal year has been closed.
Budget Status Report:
Town is very close to 50% of budget. Received a big increase in State and Federal funds (more money than anticipated). Revenue side looks good - 98% of revenue.
No money was spent on paving this year. There is approximately $80,000 in the budget for paving at this time. Received a grant for approximately $39,000 for paving. Should the paving be done /started before the end of this fiscal year (year ends June 30
Paving needs to be from the Railroad Street bridge to the Town garage by Parker and Stearns; this section of the road is the worst.
The Town should pave as much of Railroad Street as possible with the combination of grant money and the $80,000 already in the budget. Would it be beneficial to wait until next fiscal year to begin paving? This would add more money into the paving project and
much more of the road can be done. There are no restrictions for use of this grant; example: does not have to be used by end of fiscal year. Does the paving tie into the Main Street project? – No.
th, 2010)?
Road Foreman Report:
There has been 22 inches of snow since the November meeting. The crew plowed eight times and sanded 15 times this month. No sand or salt was used for the month of November.
There were a few school bus issues during the week of December 14
On Friday, December 18
Tree Farm Road – Ellis O’Hear put up snowmobile signs this week. Steve is concerned about the plowing at the end of Tree Farm Road. The plow truck takes up the entire road. Legally, whose fault would it be if a snow machine runs into the plow truck?
Johnson plows Tree Farm Road all the way to the end of the road even though the end is actually in Eden. Ellis will attend Eden’s Board meeting on Wednesday, December 23
Roadside brush has been trimmed. The loader has had some welding done on the hard surface. Chains for the loader cost approximately $3,000 for each pair.
Town needs to purchase a plasma cutter. The cutter is usually around $3,000 but is now on sale for $1,600. The Board approved the purchase of the plasma cutter.
Previously, the Board approved a policy relating to no plowing of class four roads. Should the Town continue to plow past the Duchaine's property? Is this a class three or four road? Steve will find out which class this road is.
Steve will get estimates for the grader.
th. Several busses went off the road last week (week of December 14th).th the bus company gave Steve a schedule of where the buses stop and what time they arrive at each stop. Steve will pass along the bus schedule to the schools.rd to talk about this potential problem.
Planning Commission Report:
Bob Selby felt the joint meeting went well.
Planning Commission has a mission. Joe Salerno was very active at the last meeting but no one is sure if Joe would like to resign or continue to be a member of the Planning Commission. There are now five active members.
The Planning Commission will prepare for their meeting with the Adhoc Committee.
Administrator’s Report:
1. Right of way application from Johnson Community Housing project regarding old Co-op building. New curb cut for 24 units of housing in three buildings, extend new water & sewer to project. (See site plan.) This will involve a water line under School Street. This can be done as a boring or as an "open cut". In any case, it should require a damage deposit. It also involves on street parking and construction of sidewalks. Duncan feels the permit should indicate that the Town is not accepting the sidewalks as part of the infrastructure, nor any maintenance responsibility for them. Town does not maintain sidewalks; it is the Villages’ responsibility. Lamoille Housing Partnership is going to fix the sidewalk.
Duncan suggested that this should be done as a boring.
Board will grant the permit with conditions. The permit will be for Lot 1 only.
Howard moved to have this done as a boring. Margo seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.
2. Casey Romero made a request to have the Highway Department dig a ditch alongside Wescom Road for better security at the Skate Park. Steve will look into this.
3. Quit claim deed for old Co-op building. The original deed has a requirement that the co-op build a service building having a value of at least $8,000.00 within five years of the Town issuing a deed. The quit claim would release any claim the Town has on the property. Doug would like a clause added to this deed stating the Town was never an owner of this building and that the Co-op has met all the conditions.
Duncan will add Doug’s modifications, Eric will sign, then the deed will be shown to Dave Barra; Town’s attorney and Neil Wheelwright to see if this is acceptable.
Howard moved to have the deed signed with the modifications Doug submitted and authorized Eric to sign the deed on behalf of the Board. Franklin seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.
4. Hess trailer lot. The state refused to assert jurisdiction. The Board has done everything they can do regarding this matter. The only other option would be to have the Town write a letter to DCF notifying them of the concerns for the safety and welfare of the family and ask if there is anything they can do to help them obtain a safer living environment.
5. The Vermont Land Trust would like a letter from the Select board in support of conserving the McClure farm property. The McClures have applied to the VLT to sell the development rights to their farm. Typically there is little or no tax loss to the Town for these conserved lands. It depends on whether or not the listers make any adjustment in value for the sale of the development rights. As a practical matter, much of this farm is in the flood plain. Duncan spoke with Carl Powden and he said there has been over $300,000 invested in measures to improve and protect water quality at the farm in the past five years.
Franklin made a motion to write a letter to the State. Howard seconded. All in favor with one member abstaining. Motion passed.
6. VSC filed a docketing statement and Dave Barra has filed needed documents for Town.
7. Town has been approved for a highway grant for work on Railroad Street in the amount of $39,600.
8. A budget meeting is scheduled for January 4
Brad Reed from NEMS stated that there is a new contract coming up. There will be an increase of approximately $2,000 (about 2%) from $70,000 to $72,000. The ambulance has a new feature; they can run an EKG for heart attack victims.
The ambulance responded to approximately 200 calls this year for Johnson and Newport which is a drop from last year; 300 calls last year.
Brad Reed asked the Board for a $5.00 per week increase from $15 to $20.
A new light bulb is needed in the tower; Brad will follow-up with Duncan to obtain a light bulb.
Don Foote from Johnson Works stated that the holiday festival came out over budget by $93 and requested $50 from the Board to help clean up this amount.
th at 6:00 p.m. The budget needs to be finalized and handed in by January 18th.
Margo made a motion to give Johnson Works $50. Franklin seconded. All in favor. Motion passed.
Don mentioned that the Town of Richmond has started an Economic Development Committee and it is going well.
Select board general information/issues/concerns:
1. The state now sells salt brine to towns.
2. The State Department of Health offers a hospital report card online for everyone to view.
3. Proposal for engineering services from Cross Engineering for Town Hall Tower issue.
4. Out & About’s 2010 budget & annual report for the Town report.
5. Deep Root Organics will not be purchasing property on School Street.
6. Ground water results from Ross Environmental - good to go.
7. VSC appeal has been completed.
8. Hess has paid the attorney fees he owed for lawsuit.
9. David Butler filed for an extension of time through Act 250 for a gravel pit he owns.
10. Hearing for Long trail Tavern scheduled on January 13, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. in Fair Haven,VT.
11. Notice of final budget meeting for Lamoille County.
12. Proposed land use posting.
13. Tri-state Basement Systems will be here January 5
14. Thank you letter from LEDC.
th & 11th.
Old Business
1. Stop Sign Ordinance. – Duncan has not had time to work on this.
2. Development Road Policy changes. - On a future agenda. Duncan has a copy of new policy from Town of Georgia.
3. The Capital Budget and Plan should be revisited.
4. Vermont Studio Center - tax appeal. Dave Barra has requested the "Rocket Docket" for this case. Basic initial filings have been made by both parties.
5. Re-Classification changes to Mines Road and Gould Hill Road. Application has gone to the State. Duncan will work on filing a request to VTRANS. Duncan has the traffic data from LCPC; now needs the time to file the request to reclassify.
6. Municipal building issues.
7. Masonic Hall building - Nothing new.
8. Recognize Sharon Burns for community service, proclamation.
9. Petition to discontinue Class IV portion of Town Highway #60 (River Road W) in exchange for grant of easement for non motorized recreational path by David Butler. - No news
10. Masonic Hall clock tower next steps. No real news here. Duncan has a name of a potential contractor.
Meeting adjourned at 9:17 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Joan St. Pierre