September 28, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, September 28, 2015

7:00 PM

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Ch. 16.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

 

1.      Call to Order:

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

 

2.      Agenda Review:

 

Adam Paxman stated he would need an Executive Session to discuss Real Estate.

 

3.      Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, September 14, 2015:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, September 14, 2015 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

 

4.      Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, September 25, 2015:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, September 25, 2015 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: 
Adam Paxman asked about Advanced Emergency Products. Lynn Paradis and Reg Beliveau stated they couldn’t remember that one but would look it up and let them know. Lynn stated it would be for either the Fire Department or the Police Department. Reg Beliveau informed the Board that Northrup Grumman was where they purchased their meter reading equipment. That question was asked at the last Board meeting.  Motion carried.

 

5.      Sign Electric Digger Truck Loan Documents:

 

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, explained to the Board of Trustees that the loan documents were prepared and ready to sign for the Electric Digger Truck that Swanton Village voters approved in August 2014. She said the truck should arrive in October. She stated that she checked rates at Union Bank, Peoples United and Merchants Bank. Union Bank was 2.25%, Peoples United was 2.5% and Merchants Bank was 2.75%. The loan amount is $212,000 and she went with Union Bank because they had the lowest interest rate. Lynn advised the Board she needed approval to secure the loan through Union Bank as well as signatures from the Board.

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, to secure a loan with Union Bank in the amount of $212,000 with an interest rate of 2.25% to purchase the Electric Digger Truck. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

 

Chris Leach asked if they would be selling the current truck and Reg Beliveau stated they would. He said the Village of Swanton would put a bid out “as is” for the old truck and said he believes they will get more for it selling it outright rather than trading it in. The Board members signed all necessary documents pertaining to the loan.

 

 

 

6.      August Financial Statements:

 

ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT: Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, advised that the bucket truck has been ordered for this department and said it would take a year to get it built. She also said that the September 2015 billing is the first bills under the new tariff so this is showing a little bit more revenue for the Village. She also said they are approximately $300,000 over budget in purchase power because KW sales are higher than what VPPSA budgeted for. She said power supply expenses are forecasted to be over budget at year end and distribution expenses are under budget by about $72,000. She said Duane Couture, Electric Line Foreman, still has tree trimming to do and said they have been extremely busy with line jobs and estimates. Lynn also said bond payments are coming due and it looks like there is a profit on paper but in reality there isn’t. She said the Village has a bond payment due this fall and one more next year and that will free up about $500,000 per year. She said as of right now the numbers aren’t supporting a rate increase. She said they need to start working on their FERC renewal next. Chris Leach asked if their new strategy of managing the pond has helped any. Reg stated they need to look at the generation. Lynn said the KW’s are going up but they are being paid less for them because there is too much product on the market.

 

WATER DEPARTMENT: Lynn stated at year end they will be under budget but not too bad. She said water sales are off a little bit maybe because people are conserving more. She said this department is looking good overall. Labor is over budget because of heating costs. She said maintenance of plant labor is under budget and maintenance of service is over budget because of frozen pipes in the winter. She said overall this shows a profit on paper but she will be paying off debt service. Chris Leach asked if a rate increase was necessary at this time and Lynn said she was hoping to not have a rate increase in 2016. She said their first bond payment on the current project will be due in 2017 so a rate increase will be necessary then.

 

SEWER FUND: Lynn said they haven’t raised the rates in this department in a couple of years but said they will need to in 2016.  She said sales are off track and one of their special sewer accounts is using less water. She said as of right now they are over budget by about $17,000 because the solar aerators are not functioning properly. Reg stated he had a phone call with the company and is contemplating hiring an attorney to negotiate a new contract with them. He said they seem to only get about 8 months of the aerators working properly then they have trouble with them. Lynn said chemicals were over budget by about $7000 and said this could be a timing issue but said she would check it out further. She said they will end the year with a net loss in this department. She said they have one final payment on the CSO project and she is funding depreciation in the rates. Chris Leach asked if they heard any more about the storm water issue. Reg stated there is one resident holding them up but is hoping to get it resolved soon. Adam Paxman asked why outside services employed was up and Lynn said that was for engineering services at Marble Mill but said grant money will be coming in to offset that.

 

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Lynn said street lighting in this department is over budget but said she doesn’t have cost of service factored in yet. She said the Village hasn’t completely changed to LED lighting yet but would be phasing it in over the next couple of years. She said summer streets labor is under budget and they will break even in winter streets labor. She said the crew just finishing a new sidewalk in the Village Green, She said if everything goes as planned they will profit approximately $1500 in this department. Chris Leach asked with oil prices going down are paving prices down. Reg said he needed to check on that and also said he is going to bargain with the chemical companies to get shipping costs down.

 

GENERAL FUND: Lynn said the Downtown Enhancement grant is in this fund and she doesn’t have the offsetting numbers yet. Adam Paxman asked about the miscellaneous general expenses and Lynn said the Village received a wellness grant and planted a garden with the funds as well as a healthy lifestyles coach, and purchase fruits and vegetables for the employees. She said this fund also shows a profit at year end.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT: Lynn stated there are some miscellaneous billings not budgeted for such as hazmat calls. Because of this their salary line is over budget by about $6000. She said as of now they are under budget on transportation, fuel and testing. She said last year they had a $12,000 repair on one of the trucks so that can blow their budget real fast. She said as of right now they are showing a profit in the department.

 

POLICE DEPARTMENT: Lynn said salaries are over budget by about $10,000 and she is not sure why. She said full timers must be covering shifts that the part timers cannot. She said as of right now they are showing a $3600 profit. She said they sold the old Crown Vic cruiser. Chris Leach asked what they were doing with the Army surplus vehicles. Lynn said one is being used in the maintenance department and they are looking into selling the other one.

 

COMMERCIAL BUILDING FUND: Lynn said plant maintenance and supplies are under budget and that is what is driving the profit for year end in this department.

 

Lynn said she is budgeting for next year so asked the Board to let her know if there is anything they want added to her budget. Chris Leach said he would like to see the Village continue to fix old water pipes throughout the Village. Lynn said when the transmission line project is done they plan on doing one street at a time.

 

7.      Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Eugene LaBombard stated he noticed some tree stumps on Taylor Drive that need removing if possible. Reg Beliveau stated he would check it out. He said he also plans on doing a tree replacement program where the Village will replace a tree cut with a new tree. Eugene also said he has noticed a lot of overgrowth on the Village sidewalks. Reg stated the Village plans on pulling the sidewalk near the Civil War Cemetery on Church Street.

 

Any Other Business: Neal Speer said there is a light in front of Swanton Rexall that is out. Reg asked if they noticed a difference over there because one of the store owners changed a light and it brightened that area up quite a bit.

 

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board that he had a discussion with the State of Vermont regarding the 2016 paving project. He said the State confirmed they are going to put in bike lanes where they can, and two new crosswalks – one on Liberty St. and one on Greenwich St., using high visibility paint. He said Merchants Row will be striped and have new signage. He said Mark Fenton will be here on October 9^th working on the traffic flow and walkability of downtown. He said he also asked the State about raising the railings on the bridge and bringing it up to code.

 

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated there has been a lot of talk lately about the sluice way on the lower dam. He said he contacted the State of Vermont and asked if they knew of any funds available to help with repairing the dam. He was told no. Reg stated they have money to help take it down but don’t have any to help repair it. He said they are claiming that when the water is low this is starving endangered fish in the river by Marble Mill, on the other side of the river. He said he has contacted an engineer regarding some restoration on the dam and is also waiting to hear back from their attorney Paul Nolan. He said he would keep the Board updated.

 

8.      Public Comment:

 

None.

 

9.      Executive Session (If Necessary):

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate (attorney-client privileged information) at 8:07 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to exit Executive Session and re-enter Open Session at 9:08 p.m.

 

ACTION TAKEN: Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to move forward with an RFQ for the Lower Swanton Dam and to also take into consideration repairs/restoration of the dam. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

10.  Adjournment:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:09 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:09 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

 

 

 

September 14, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, September 14, 2015

7:00 PM

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Brian Savage and Ch. 16.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

 

1.      Call to Order:

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.

 

2.      Agenda Review:

 

No changes were made to the Agenda.

 

3.      Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, August 10, 2015:

 

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, August 10, 2015 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

 

4.      Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, September 11, 2015:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, September 11, 2015 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked what vendor Northrop Grumman Systems for $13,647.50 was for. Reg Beliveau stated he couldn’t remember that one but would find out and let the Board know. Eugene LaBombard asked if warrant #83 was for the Village credit card and also asked if the water line job was on schedule. Reg Beliveau said yes for both. Eugene LaBombard asked about the payment to Prime Electric. Reg Beliveau stated it was for the Hydro Plant during plant shutdown. Motion carried.

 

5.      Franklin Grand Isle Chapter of Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity request for a Coin Drop on Saturday, October 10^th with a Rain Date of Saturday, October 17, 2015:

 

Chris Leach made the motion to approve Franklin Grand Isle Chapter of Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity’s request to hold a coin drop on Saturday, October 10^th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon with a rain date of Saturday, October 17^th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman stated he would like to limit the number of coin drops to three per year. Chris Leach stated he was fine with having one per month and Eugene LaBombard agreed with that. Chris stated people can avoid the coin drop because of where it’s located if they want to. He said this is a very good fund raising event for a lot of charities. Motion carried with two yay’s and one nay.

 

6.      Utility Pole Ordinance Discussion:

 

Adam Paxman stated he asked Reg Beliveau if he could take on the Utility Pole Ordinance that the Village of Swanton was working on last year. He said there are still several utility poles throughout the Village that need to be removed and are not being removed. Adam stated he wanted to draft an Ordinance with help from Reg Beliveau and Chief Stell. He said this Ordinance will expedite the removal of old utility poles. Reg stated he had it drafted last year and Fairpoint came in and did their job. He said Comcast and Fairpoint have equal burden in attaching and removing their services from utility poles. Chris Leach was concerned with how it would be enforced. Adam stated there are about 50 poles that need to be removed and he said he would keep the Board updated on his progress with the Ordinance.

 

7.      Electric Bucket Truck Approval:

 

Reg Beliveau stated the Village of Swanton received a quote from Altec for $207,921 to build the Electric bucket truck that the voters approved back in March. Chris Leach made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to accept Altec’s electric bucket truck bid for $207,921. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

8.      Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Chris Leach stated there is an important JLB meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 regarding the Town Plan. Brian Savage, local Swanton Representative, stated right now this Town Plan has to be done every 5 years but the House just passed a bill stating it would be done every 8 years from now on. He said they are just waiting for Senate approval of this. Chris Leach stated a Town can amend their Town Plan at any time if they needed to. Adam Paxman agreed and said this is a working document. Eugene LaBombard stated they would also meet on September 23^rd to ratify the Town Plan.

 

9.      Public Comment:

 

Brian Savage stated Act 248 trumps anything to do with the utility industry and said large wind and solar projects are taking over. He said the Rocky Ridge wind project towers being proposed are larger than the ones in New York. Brian stated that he and Marianna Gamache have been working on power projects, in the case of generation, and said they will have to go through local Zoning and Planning Commissions. He said they met with the Governor last week and it went better than he expected.

 

10.  Executive Session to Discuss Legal Matters:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Legal Matters at 7:30 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:27 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

ACTION TAKEN: None.

 

11.  Adjournment:

 

Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:27 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

 

 

 

August 10, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, August 10, 2015

7:00 PM

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; and Ch. 16.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

 

1.      Call to Order:

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

 

2.      Agenda Review:

 

No changes were made to the Agenda.

 

3.      Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, July 13, 2015:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, July 13, 2015 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked for clarification on the Water Fund paragraph. Chris Leach asked when the next JLB meeting was scheduled for. Adam Paxman stated it was scheduled for September 16, 2015. Chris stated they needed to discuss the Methodist Church parking lot issue at that meeting. Eugene LaBombard said they should also contact the Village’s insurance company to see if the liability coverage would be sufficient if the Village were to maintain that parking lot. Adam stated he would talk with Joel Clark regarding this and do some homework before the meeting so they are prepared to discuss it. Motion carried.

 

4.      Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, August 7, 2015:

 

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, August 7, 2015 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked about the St. Albans Police Department payment for $56,429.06. Reg Beliveau stated that was for dispatching services and said that Missisquoi Valley Rescue and Fire pay a portion of that bill. Motion carried.

 

5.      Cogsdale Billing Software Upgrade Quote:

 

Reg Beliveau explained to the Board of Trustees that the Village office needed to upgrade the billing software program that they are currently using at an expense of $25,200. This will include upgrading GP Dynamics and Cogsdale to the latest version of GP2015 with technical upgrade assistance, new feature training and project management. This covers the Village’s annual maintenance and support he explained. Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to accept Cosgdale’s quote of $25,200 to upgrade the billing software to CSM/GP2015. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

 

6.      ICloud Online Billing Update:

 

Reg Beliveau explained to the Board that he received the ICloud Online Billing contract and asked them to change it from a 3 year contract to one that states the Village can terminate at any time if not satisfied with the program. Reg also explained that when the Village offers this online billing to their customers the Village will be able to discontinue paying the hackers insurance they now need to carry because the Village holds customer’s credit card information. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to enter into a contract with ICloud Online Billing to offer online billing services to the Village of Swanton ratepayers. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. Reg also stated a representative will be at the NEPPA conference so the Board will be able to ask questions then also.

 

7.      Set 2015 Tax Rate:

 

Reg Beliveau stated that Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, estimated the tax rate in the Village Report to be .7427 but because the Grand List increased a bit it actually needs to be .7407 for 2015. Chris Leach made the motion to set the Village of Swanton tax rate at .7407 for the year 2015. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

8.      Hungerford Brook Grant Proposal:

 

Reg Beliveau stated he was contacted by Jaime Tibbits from Agrilab Technologies LLC regarding a grant that they applied for along with Friends of Northern Lake Champlain (FNLC) which would entail planting trees on property owned by the Village of Swanton on Route 207 and Woodshill Road. This grant is called the Trees for Streams project and is funded 100% by the Vermont Community Foundation’s Lake Champlain and Tributaries Restoration Fund. As a condition of Agrilab and FNLC covering 100% of the cost of trees and shrubs and coordinating volunteers and planters to implement the project, the trees must be maintained for a minimum of 10 years. By agreeing to this project, the Village agrees there will be no cutting or clearing of these trees/shrubs for farming or views. Reg provided the Board with a map showing a 7.4 acre planting area by Hungerford Brook and another 3.15 acre area off from Woodshill Road. Chris Leach made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to accept Agrilab and Friends of Northern Lake Champlain’s Trees for Streams grant for trees and shrubs to be planted on property owned by the Village of Swanton by Hungerford Brook and on Route 207, funded 100% by the Vermont Community Foundation’s Lake Champlain and Tributaries Restoration Fund. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

9.      Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Task Force Request to hold a Block Party at Flat Iron Park Saturday, September 12, 2015:

 

Reg Beliveau informed the Board that he was contacted by Rev John H.D. Lucy regarding a Block Party. He said the Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Task Force are requesting permission to hold a Block Party on Saturday, September 12 on Flat Iron Park off of Grand Avenue. He said they are hoping to bring the community together as an indirect means for preventing substance abuse and feels York and Second Streets are particularly being targeted as neighborhoods in need of some love and support at this time. He said they will have a banner, a photo booth, games, food and music so will need a sound system set up. He said Turning Point from St. Albans and other church groups will also be there involved as hospitality groups. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Task Force’s request to hold a Block Party on Saturday, September 12^th at Flat Iron Park. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

10.  Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Adam Paxman asked how Fairpoint was doing regarding taking down old utility poles. Reg Beliveau stated they were doing fine and keeping to their agreement with the Village.

 

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated the Chamber of Commerce held their 6^th Annual Car Show on July 25^th and had 217 cars in the Village Green. He said they had a great day with great support. He said they were able to make three donations this year, one to the Teen Center, the Cub Scouts and the Food Shelf. Adam said next year’s 7^th Annual Car Show will be held on July 24^th. He also said he received an email from a couple who attended stating what a great show it was and what a great place Swanton was to raise a family in. He said he heard a lot of beautiful comments that day.

 

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked about the new building at the Hydro Plant. Eugene LaBombard stated he went up to see it and it’s almost complete. Reg Beliveau stated it was done under budget so they are putting in a computer screen and camera in which will allow the operators to see everything while they are in that building. Reg stated he would like to hold a meeting there in the near future and also at the sewer plant. Chris also stated he is on the Energy Commission and said he needs some information. He said he has generated some questions he’d like answers to. He said it appears to him they way they are being pressured regarding purchase power they are being set up to fail and he’d like to ease his mind or bring light to it. Reg stated it’s not just here it’s in the whole northeast and NEPPA is looking at price fixing in the New England region. Chris said he is very concerned and Eugene stated he is also. Reg suggested they talk with Dave Mullett at VPPSA and have their questions ready for the NEPPA conference which will be held August 23^rd through the 27^th at Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Reg also said they are not talking about VT Public Power enough and hope to bring it to light at the legislative rally in Washington in March.

 

Reg Beliveau stated he needed an Executive Session to discuss Real Estate.

 

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board that the water transmission line job was coming along great. He said six fire hydrants were installed on the Waugh Farm Road. He said there is still landscaping to be done to asked that the residents that live there be patient. He also said they are getting ready to do the directional boring next week.

 

11.  Public Comment:

 

None

 

12.  Executive Session (If Necessary):

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate at 7:55 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:30 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

 

ACTION TAKEN: None.

 

13.  ADJOURNMENT:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:30 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

 

 

 

July 13, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, July 13, 2015

7:00 PM

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Shaun Chevalier, Swanton resident; Eric Palmer, Fish & Wildlife; James Ehlers, Lake Champlain International; Louis Porter, Fish & Wildlife; Heather Furman, The Nature Conservancy; and Ch. 16.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

 

1.      Public Comment:

 

Neal Speer asked if there were any Public Comments. Shaun Chevalier stated he was there to advocate for the removal of the Swanton Dam and see the revitalization of downtown Swanton happen.  He said he  brought some friends with him who could help make this happen financially. Neal Speer stated they are glad that he came here tonight but the Board would not debate the removal of the dam. He said they would consider his statement but they all know how the Board feels about the removal of the dam. Neal said if they go any further either way there has to be way more discussion on the topic and they would be part of it. He said they would hear their comment but the Board is not prepared to debate the topic tonight. Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, asked everyone there on this topic to introduce themselves for the camera: James Ehlers, Lake Champlain International, Eric Palmer, Fish & Wildlife; Louis Porter, Fish & Wildlife; and Heather Furman, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy. James Ehlers stated their point in coming tonight was not to engage in debate but it was to offer assistance and partnership as they explore revitalizing downtown Swanton and mostly say hello and introduce themselves to the Board. Heather Furman stated she is a new face to this debate and said she wanted to introduce herself and let them know she wants to be a resource. Neal stated with channel 16 filming they get a lot of exposure and if anyone had any questions they could contact them. Reg Beliveau asked what they had for examples regarding improving downtown Swanton. James stated they had case studies from other communities around the country facing similar issues and what they have been able to do through river restoration. He said they would be honored and happy to provide that to the Board.

 

2.      Approve and Accept Minutes from Regular Meeting Monday, June 22, 2015 and from Special Meeting Monday, July 1, 2015:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, June 22, 2015 and Minutes from Monday, July 1, 2015 be approved as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

 

3.      Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, July 10, 2015:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through July 10, 2015 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked about Warrant #68 Kansas City Bank for $3022.92. Lynn Paradis stated this is for the lease payment on the solar aerators at the Waste Water Treatment Plant.  Chris also asked about the Public Utilities Risk Management payment for $2963.91. Lynn Paradis stated that was their PURMA insurance payment for consumer protection because they take credit card payments. She said this was in case they get hacked, it protects their customers. Motion carried.

 

 

 

4.      Acknowledgement and Signature for Union Bank Account for Downtown Enhancement Project:

 

The Board of Trustees acknowledged this account being opened by Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, for the Downtown Enhancement Committee Grant money and signed the necessary documents.

 

5.      Water Transmission Line RF3-262-3 Swanton Village Repayment Schedule Amendment #3 – Authorize and Sign:

 

Swanton Village did not expend the authorized loan amount for the Water Treatment Facility upgrade project so the repayment schedule has been adjusted to reflect this. This action will reduce the loan amount from $4,210,560.48 to $4,185,801.63. The Chair of the Village Trustees and the Village Clerk will need to sign and date this document. The loan will begin August 1, 2015. Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Neal Speer, Village President and Dianne Day, Village Clerk to sign RF3-262-3 Swanton Village Repayment Schedule Amendment #3 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

6.      Hydro Incentive Program Award for Unit #5:

 

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board of Trustees that the Village of Swanton was awarded $53,847 for Unit #5 for a Hydro Incentive Program that he applied for from the Department of Energy. He said David Jescavage brought this to his attention late last year and Unit #5 was eligible for the program under renewable energy. He said he believes the Village will be able to apply for this over the next two years. The Board was very pleased with this.

 

7.      Memorial United Methodist Church Parking Lot Discussion:

 

Reg Beliveau stated that he and Adam Paxman met with Church officials last fall because they were plowing and the time was coming up for bidding. He said the Village used to maintain the parking lot at one time and the Town of Swanton used to maintain the parking lot also at one time. He said both the Village and Town stopped maintaining the parking lot for the Church. At this point he asked the Church exactly what they are asking for. He said they sent a letter back listing what they want but the Board feels this needs to be discussed with the JLB. Adam Paxman stated the drive between the Church and the Library is a no-go for him because it’s way too much liability. Neal Speer stated that is the key and why they stopped in the past, because of the liability. Chris Leach asked if residents even used that ally way. Lynn Paradis stated she sees vehicles using that driveway. Reg stated he asked about liability and he believes the Church is carrying the liability insurance on the parking lot still. The following is a list of services the Church would like provided free of charge for the usage of the parking lot: Snow plowing and removal of snow banks when necessary, this is to include the driveway between the Library and the Church; salting and sanding during the winter months; sweeping of the parking lot in the spring; striping of all parking spaces and signage for handicap parking spaces; provide adequate lighting of the entire parking lot; maintenance of the parking lot – repairing of pot holes, paving or re-striping; trimming and removal of branches and grape vines along the fences bordering the parking lot. They would also like the removal of a number of shortened power poles which separate the Library lot and the Church lot. This will add two parking spaces to the lot. The removal of poles and the paving would be done at the expense of the Village and Town. Chris Leach stated nothing can be decided without talking to the JLB. Reg stated he would go talk with David Jescavage this week and would get this added to the next JLB meeting. Chris also asked who takes care of the other Church parking lots. He said he’s afraid the Village is going to set a precedent here they may regret. Neal Speer stated that the Church wants all the services and wants to tell the Village how it’s going to be. He said this can happen but there needs to be some giving on the Church’s side.

 

8.      ICloud Online Customer Billing Discussion:

 

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, stated he was contacted by Cogsdale about implementing an online bill pay service for the Village’s customers. Cogsdale is the Village’s billing software company and they work with and recommend Invoice Cloud. Reg stated ICloud offers online bill pay services such as real time credit card payments, email communication platform, multiple self-serve payment options, advanced reconciliation and reporting tools, OBD online bank direct, and integrated IVR. He said there are no up front costs and they have a proven track record in 457 towns, cities and utilities

 

ICloud Adds Immediate Value

Decrease customer service at work: Invoice Cloud’s additional payment options, self serve customer portal, biller portal, 27 customizable e-mail reminders, and one-time payment will increase online payment volume and decrease calls to your office.

 

Remove burden and security concerns that could result in fines: Invoice Cloud is level 1 PCI Compliant, the highest level of compliance in the industry. Stop running auto-pay manually and be able to run them automatically keeping you out of PCI scope.

 

Save money on print and mail costs: Invoice Cloud will increase paperless enrollment saving time and money for the Village of Swanton.

 

Save money on current processing fees: It’s simple, you are being charged 106.5 basis points, we will charge you 60 basis points. In May, this would have saved the Village of Swanton $322.74 (this was based on $70,015.99 in processing volume).

 

ICloud will provide the Village with templates to choose from to notify our customers about using ICloud. There will be a direct link in email to pay or view bill online.

 

Swanton Village customers will still get their bill mailed to them each month but for those who want to go paperless they will now be able to. They will be able to view their bill online, see their bill amount, their usage history, everything they can see now. This will free up some of the work done in the office such as running credit card payments manually and running checking account payments. Chris Leach expressed some concerns about signing up with this and asked if the Village could sign up for 1 year instead of 3 years. He also expressed concern about any hidden costs there may be. Reg Beliveau said he just received the contract from ICloud today and said he would go through it and get back to the Board but said they are very excited about offering this to their customers. He said they need to keep up with the technology and customers have been asking for this for some time now. He said he would review the contract the let the Board know the details.

 

9.      Review Meter Reading Equipment Quotes:

 

Lynn Paradis explained to the Board that the meter reading equipment is way past the end of its life. She said the displays are hard to read and the equipment is failing. She said this equipment has been in the budget for the last three years but she’s had other pressing things to do instead but now feels it’s time to go ahead and purchase new meter reading equipment. The Village has received two quotes for new equipment, one from Northrop Grumman for $16,242.50 and one from Ti-Sales for $25,359.60. She said the staff would like to stay with the equipment they now have which is Northrop and just do an upgrade because it would be easier to learn and it is the lower quote. She said she knows it’s a lot of money but they have to do it. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the purchase of new meter reading equipment through Northrop Grumman for $16,242.50. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

10.  Village of Swanton Employee Handbook Changes/Updates Discussion:

 

The Board discussed more changes/additions being made in the Employee Handbook. It was decided that the handbook will be re-typed from the very beginning and then Eugene LaBombard will sit with Dianne Day, Village Clerk, and make suggested updates and changes. Once the Board has completed all changes Lynn Paradis suggested an attorney look at the handbook afterwards to make sure everything is ok.

 

11.  June 2015 Financial Statement Discussion:

 

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, presented the Board with the June 2015 Financial Statements for the Village.

 

GENERAL FUND: Lynn stated heating fuel cost is up but it was a much colder winter. She also said electricity costs were up.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT: Lynn said the Village has invoiced over $16,000 for fire calls. Fire salaries are over budget but there’s been a large call volume. Workers Compensation is also up.

 

POLICE DEPARTMENT: Police salaries are up in the department as well as supplies. She also said outside services in every department is up and that she was going to look into that.

 

HIGHWAY FUND: Lynn stated street lighting cost was up in the department but everything else looked pretty good at this point.

 

ELECTRIC FUND: Lynn stated they are seeing a lot of customers setting up with solar and she said this affects residential sales in the electric department. She also said purchase power is over budget and the Village is not getting paid well for generation. Lynn said that tree trimming costs were up but line maintenance is down but this is controlled. Lynn also said collection costs were up but that is because Dianne is placing a lot of liens and those fees would be collected when the liens were paid. She also said bank charges were up and that is due to customers paying by credit cards. Maintenance of vehicles is also up a bit.

 

Lynn stated that overall the way things look in the electric department at the six month point she feels the Village needs a rate increase due to being almost $600,000 short. Most of this is due to purchase power and generation at the hydro plant.

 

WATER FUND: Lynn stated labor costs in this department were up as well as electricity costs. She said maintenance of services is up but that is due to frozen pipes this past winter. She said overall at this point they are $21,000 to the good.

 

SEWER FUND: Lynn stated that revenue is down in this fund a bit. She said labor is up a little but that is due to a part time kid working there this summer. She said electricity costs are up and that is due to the aerators there. Maintenance of lines is also up and that is due to frozen sewer lines this past winter and flooded basements.

 

COMMERCIAL BUILDING FUND: Lynn stated nothing looks out of order in this department. She advised the board to take these financials home and look them over. She said running her numbers at the six month point gives her a good indication of where she’s at for the year.

 

12.  Review and Accept Bike/Pedestrian Grant Application:

 

Reg Beliveau stated he is still filling out the application for approximately $40,000 in conjunction with the 2015 Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Grant. Reg explained with the paving project coming next year this a good time to get these projects done. He said there is a 20% match to be paid by the Village and this is one of those projects where our staff can do the work. He said Regional Planning has been helping him with this project as well as Amy Brewer at Northwest Medical Center. Reg explained that this is a Swanton Crosswalk Improvements grant and he feels this goes hand in hand with the Village’s Walking School Bus routes that were developed last year in which area school children walk to school on Wednesday’s. Walking School Buses are now utilized weekly by more than 80 students along with parents and school staff and the school has committed to continuing to lead them weekly in the FY16 school year. He said the Village plans on putting flashing lights on four crosswalks within the Village as well as a modified bump-out area. He said the proposed crosswalks are located on Liberty Street, two on Grand Avenue and Canada Street. Neal Speer asked if he’s heard any more on the study for the Sidewalk grant from First Street to MVU. Reg stated he is meeting with David Jescavage this week on that issue.

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to complete the application for the 2015 Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Application – Swanton Crosswalk Improvement grant. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

13.  Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Adam Paxman stated the new Fire equipment “Jaws of Life” is in and it is very impressive. Reg stated they need to train with it before they can use it. Adam thanked everyone who supported that. Adam also reminded everyone about the Car Show on July 25^th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Village Green. He is hoping to have 175 vehicles in the park.

 

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated he received a $24,800 grant to have an electric car charging station and is waiting on the State to release the funds. He said this will be set up here by the Park and Ride and residents will be able to use their credit cards to recharge their electric cars.

 

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked if there was any news on the water transmission line. Reg Beliveau stated they starting working on it today on the Waugh Farm Road. He said he would keep the Board updated on that.

 

14.  Executive Session to Discuss Personnel and Real Estate:

 

None.

 

ADJOURN: Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:31 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:31 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

 

 

 

July 1, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

SPECIAL MEETING

Monday, July 1, 2015

6:00 PM

 

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Special Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

1.      Executive Session to Discuss Personnel and Real Estate:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session at 6:02 p.m. to discuss Personnel and Real Estate. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session and enter Open Session at 7:06 p.m. Chris Leach seconded.

 

ACTION TAKEN: Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the Village of Swanton’s preliminary salary plan as presented. Chris Leach seconded.

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve the Village of Swanton’s letter to the Agency of Natural Resource’s regarding the Lower Swanton Dam drafted by Attorney Paul Nolan with some modifications. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

 

2. Any Other Necessary Business:

 

None.

 

ADJOURN: Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Special Board of the Trustees meeting at 7:10 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 7:10 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date

 

 

 

June 22, 2015

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

 

 

 

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, June 22, 2015

7:00 PM

 

 

 

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Molly Lambert, Downtown Enhancement Project; Joe Letourneau, Hydro Plant Foreman and Ch. 16.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

 

Neal Speer, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

 

1. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, June 8, 2015:

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, June 8, 2015 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked if Reg Beliveau found out how much the Village of Swanton would be receiving for the Hydro Plant grant for Unit #5. Reg stated he is still waiting to hear and would let the Board know as soon as he heard. Reg also advised the Board that vendor LN Consulting was used for an ARC Flash Study at the Sub Station which is an Osha requirement. He said the total cost will be $8000. Chris Leach stated he would like it mentioned in the Minutes that he is researching consolidating dispatching services with the Border Patrol, Customs, etc. to save money. Motion carried.

 

2. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 19, 2015:

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 19, 2015 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Reg Beliveau stated that Almetek Industries Inc for $2880.42 was used for remarking the utility poles. He also said Jeffords Stell & Engineering for $7020 was used for an emergency repair of the rubber bag at the Hydro Plant. Motion carried.

 

3. Acknowledgement of Swanton Village Financial Management Questionnaire:

 

Reg Beliveau, Village of Swanton Manager, advised the Board that the Village has filled out their Annual Financial Management Questionnaire for 2015. He advised that Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager/Controller, fills this out for the State of Vermont auditors each year which describes the financial functions of the Village. This ensures that not one individual is responsible for all financial duties and list the names of employees who do each job in the Village Office. Chris Leach made the motion acknowledging receipt of the Village of Swanton’s Financial Questionnaire and also made the motion authorizing Neal Speer, Village President, to sign the document. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motions carried.

 

The Board elected to moved to Item #5 – Any Other Necessary Business to hear Molly Lambert’s discussion on the Downtown Enhancement Project.

 

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Molly Lambert informed the Board that she wanted to stop by and first of all thank them for their support of the Downtown Enhancement Project and would like to come in quarterly and give an update to the Board. She said because of the Community Visit five task forces were created – the Outdoor Recreation Task Force, Swanton Arts Council, the Economic Development Task Force, Unite the Community to Prevent Substance Abuse Task Force and Downtown: Traffic, Walkability, Bikeability.

 

She said they had a spring flower planting project, a dam overlook was installed and a mural was painted at Maple City Candy building. She also said Rutland’s Project Vision Team is coming to Swanton for a community meeting July 15 to share resources and ideas.

 

She also said Mark Fenton, National Expert on Biking and Walkability and Healthy Communities, is coming to Swanton and surrounding communities. His visit is being paid for by Rise VT and the date will be announced.

 

She said the other reason she is there is to discuss the $10,000 grant the Downtown Enhancement Project received through the Village of Swanton being the applicant. Reg Beliveau stated that Lynn Paradis will need to open an account at Union Bank for these funds and create a separate line item and account number for the Downtown Enhancement Project grant funds for detailed accounting purposes. He also stated that in the future there is discussion with the Town of Swanton about asking for funds on the Town Ballot so that Village and Town taxpayers contribute to this Project and those funds would be allocated to the Town of Swanton. Eugene LaBombard asked if there would be a budget the Committee would keep. Reg stated yes like the Swanton Library. Molly said they have had several meetings setting up their 501C and still have a ways to go but are continuing to learn and welcome input. She again thanked the Board for all their continued support.

 

Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, to open an account for the Downtown Enhancement Project Grant for $10,000 at Union Bank. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

The Board elected to moved back to Item #4.

 

4. Village of Swanton Employee Handbook Changes/Updates Discussion:

 

Eugene LaBombard has volunteered to go ahead and make changes throughout the handbook and work with Lynn Paradis or Reg Beliveau at the Village of Swanton. Chris Leach and Adam Paxman liked this idea and stated they would look through the book and give their ideas and suggestions to Eugene to work on. The Board agreed this will be a work in progress until it’s complete and we will keep it on the agenda until then.

 

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

 

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, advised the Board that at their last meeting they discussed having Joe Letourneau come in to give an update on what’s going on at the Hydro Plant and he said he is here tonight to do so. Joe said he took over being the supervisor at the plant in March 2015 and held a meeting to start things off fresh. He said things have been phenomenal since then. He said they hired a new operator, Noel Anderson and that’s help a lot. He said each operator now has two days off per week plus four days off each month. He said Floyd Tatro took it upon himself to create a training guide to help train Noel and he also now does the shopping for the plant and the ordering. He said one of the changes he implemented was each operator carries a cell phone with them to do their rounds and the main phone is programmed through the cell phone. This enables the operator to move freely throughout the plant and grounds and still be in contact with everyone and also saves the Village money because they no longer need to come in early prior to their shift. He said the biggest change he has noticed there is “teamwork” and how well they all work together now. Adam Paxman asked if he sees a need for a sixth person and Joe said not at this time because Greg Sargent can fill in if needed. Joe stated he created a training guide and each operator was able to rate the new operator on each shift and he is now fully trained and operating on his own. He said he has a new Log Book in place which will enable anyone to look back and see what took place on any given day.

 

Joe also said they just completed their FERC inspection at the plant and they did very well. He said Unit #5 is offline right now but he has ordered the necessary part and it should be in this week. He said the trash rake has been overhauled which included a new head, new controls and cab windows. He said they have completed emergency repairs to the rubber dam entrance hatch and are pleased with that. He said Unit #2 is still running at 80% and JF Messier from Enerserv will be bringing a camera up to see what’s going on inside that unit. Joe said overall things are going pretty good at the plant and they have determined that Units #1, 2 and 3 are performing where they should be. He said they are doing more testing on Unit #4 and JF will come during an outage in August when annual inspections will be done. The Board thanked Joe for coming in and for doing a good job at the Hydro Plant.

 

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into a Water Commissioner’s meeting at 9:03 p.m. to hear a water allocation request. Chris Leach seconded. Seth Coleman is requesting 490 gallons per day for a single family house at the corner of Lake Street and Lasnier Road. Chris Leach made the motion to approve Seth Coleman’s water allocation request for 490 gallons per day for a single family house on the corner of Lake Street and Lasnier Road. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

 

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to exit Water Commissioner’s meeting at 9:06 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

 

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau read a letter of thanks from the Abenaki Tribal Council for helping to replace the totem pole on the Monument Road recently. Reg also mentioned all of the rain and the flooding in the Village this past week. He said if it continues they will contact Regional Planning for assistance and they will help the Village open a center if necessary. He said some residents had water up to their floor boards and the Fire Department helped drain water all day Monday. He said they expect more rain tonight and tomorrow morning.

 

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked when the Gas company would begin construction. Reg Beliveau said he thought July 1^st they were supposed to break ground. He said they are looking for more investors.

 

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked about the grant received for the storm water treatment and asked Reg Beliveau if the Village needed to go out to bid for that. Reg stated because the Village was doing their own work and using their own equipment and staff to save money he didn’t need to. He also asked if the basketball net was lifted yet. Reg said not yet but he would check into it. Eugene also asked if Reg booked the NEPPA Conference yet and Reg said he would do that this week.

 

6. Executive Session (If Necessary):

 

None

 

ADJOURN: Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:15 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Motion carried.

 

 

 

Minutes Typed by Dianne Day on 6/26/15

 

 

 

_____________________________________          _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President                           Date

 

 

 

_____________________________________          ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk                               Date