Swanton Village Meeting Minutes

Sunday, July 16, 2017

June 26, 2017

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, June 26, 2017

7:00 PM

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 7:04 p.m.

2. Agenda Review:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, stated he needed to add Real Estate to the Executive Session and also had one item to be added to Any Other Necessary Business.

3. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, June 12, 2017:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, June 12, 2017 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

4. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 23, 2017:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 23, 2017 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

5. Discussion on Water Haulers Filling Up at Fire Department:

Dianne Day explained to the Board that currently the Village of Swanton does not charge water haulers for filling their tanks at the Village Fire Department. She said the Village is proposing to charge like we charge a Commercial Town customer. There would be a $92.63 customer charge per month, as well as charge of $5.11 per 1,000 gallons of water. For example, a water hauler taking 12,000 gallons of water for the month of June would be charged $92.63 customer charge and $61.32 for the water, for a total monthly bill of $153.95.

She said at this time, the Fire Department is getting a flat donation from these individual water haulers, which varies from year to year depending on how much water they take.

She stated she called Milton and currently they charge $7.08 per 1,000 gallons but said they are going to raise that price. She said they heard they also charged them for the cost of a water meter but she didn’t confirm that when she talked with her. They do have a meter and keep track of usage that way.

Dianne stated she called St. Albans City and they are currently charging .656 cents per 100 gallons which amounts to $6.56 per 1,000 gallons of water as well as a $50 hook up fee. A 12,000 gallon water usage bill would cost $78.72 for water and a $50 hookup fee, for a total bill of $128.72. She said she thinks they only charge that $50 once for the summer.

The problem the Village is having now is that the water haulers are not coming in to the Village Office and letting them know how much water they are taking. They go into the Fire Department through the back garage and help themselves to the water and also come after hours and on weekends. There is a water meter out there but no one is recording the usage. She asked if the Village should put a lock on the water valve and only allow them to come during business hours and not after 4 and on weekends.

Chris Leach made the motion to structure a water usage charge for the water haulers the same as a Town Commercial account is charged to be effective as of July 1, 2017. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked that each individual water hauler be notified by letter explaining these charges and also stated they need to come during business hours. If they need water on the weekends or after hours it would have to be scheduled with the Fire Department and at their discretion. Motion carried.

6. Discussion on Highgate Dam:

Chris Leach stated he just wanted to mention how the situation up at the Hydro Plant was handled very well. He said there was no major flooding and the quick action taken by everyone involved was perfect. Reg Beliveau said he would give a walk thru of how the events unfolded on June 14^th. He said at approximately 2 p.m. the Hydro Plant received an alarm on the dam. He said it was reset immediately and then it went off again. It showed that the rubber bag was holding pressure but was not working properly. He said the operator decided to take a walk over and check it out and could see the bag was hissing at the fold by the bottom of the concrete. She then activated the EAP (Emergency Action Plan) and turned the units on 100%. Reg said it was determined that they couldn’t initiate a repair but instead would have to do a slow release. He said 1 to 2’ of water was flowing over the bag per hour which is comparable to spring runoff. He said they couldn’t put anyone inside the bag because it was too dangerous. Reg said the EAP was lifted at approximately 9:20 p.m. He said the first couple of hours were pretty scary but everything went according to plan. He said they called FERC and the bag manufacturer show up last week. He told Reg that they have made some changes in the rubber bag design and they are now rated to last approximately 25-30 years. He said a new bag will cost about $1,432,000 and they received a quote a few months back and the installation cost was approximately $620,000. Reg said the Village will have to hold a Public Vote and also do a 108 filing in order to replace the bag.

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, stated that this project will cost approximately $2.4 million dollars for everything and she has asked Union Bank to provide her with a quote on some long term financing. She said her testimony is written and the Public Service Board will analyze it. She said it’s in the best interest of our ratepayers to get this rubber bag replaced as soon as possible. Reg stated the Village would hold public hearings and get this information out to the public as soon as things allow and he said he’s hopeful the Village taxpayers would approve this purchase. Lynn stated the Village was intending on applying for a rate increase next year due to the solar projects being built. She said she anticipates a 5-7% increase. Lynn stated Al Mosher was invaluable to the Village with his knowledge of the rubber bag and installation of it. She stated she would like Al to be an integral part of this rubber bag replacement. She said the hydro operators are working 12 hour shifts and they are having issues with the racks being filled with debris from the river bottom. The Board of Trustees were in agreement when saying they wanted this to move forward as soon as possible and to get the bag ordered. Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to order a replacement rubber bag for the Orman Croft Generating Facility. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

7. Any Other Necessary Business:

Reg Beliveau informed the Board that he received a letter from the Northwest Regional Planning Commission asking for a letter of intent from the Village of Swanton for their RPC/DEC Municipal Roads Grants-In-Aid Pilot Project. He stated this would provide funding for road construction, proper ditching etc. He said the Town of Swanton is also participating in this pilot project. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to authorize the Village of Swanton to sign a Letter of Intent and participate in the RPC/ DEC Municipal Roads Grants-In-Aid Pilot Project. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Any Other Business: Lynn Paradis stated that last week herself, Brian Bishop and Reg Beliveau met with the State of Vermont regarding the MVUHS water line replacement job. She said there are a lot of hoops to jump through and she will be putting a separate line item under Capital Improvement in her budgets for next year.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated he wanted to welcome Sam and Betty home and said they once again have swans in the Village park.

8. Public Comment:

None.

9. Executive Session to Discuss Customer Account and Personnel:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Customer Account, Personnel and Real Estate at 8:11 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session and re-enter Open Session at 8:38 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Chris Leach made the motion to do a Quit Claim Deed of a small triangular piece of property in the Industrial Park on Jonergin Drive over to the Town of Swanton. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

10. Adjournment:

Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:40 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m. Motion carried.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President Date

__________________________________ ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

June 12, 2017

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ORMAN CROFT GENERATING FACILITY

126 BAKER RD.

HIGHGATE, VT 05459

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, June 12, 2017

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Chris Leach, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Scott Mueller, Hydro Plant Supervisor 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 7:08 p.m.

2. Tour the Orman Croft Generating Facility:

Neal stated that the Board would tour the Hydro Facility after going through Item #1 through Item #8.

3. Agenda Review:

None.

4. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, May 22, 2017:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, May 22, 2017 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

5. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 9, 2017:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, June 9, 2017 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman stated it was nice to see some smaller payments to VPPSA and that the Village is making power. Motion carried.

6. Sign Capital Improvement Note Loan Documents for Hydro Plant from Union Bank:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that the Hydro Plant line of credit loan documents to repair the aging infrastructure for $442,547 was ready for the Board to sign. He said this would be a 20 year note for $442,547 with a 3.28% fixed interest rate. Reg stated there would be an annual principal and interest payment of $30,527.39. All Board members signed the necessary loan documents.

7. Review Financial Management Questionnaire:

Reg Beliveau, Village of Swanton Manager, advised the Board that the Village has filled out their Annual Financial Management Questionnaire for 2017. 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. The Board acknowledged receipt of the Village of Swanton’s Financial Questionnaire and Neal Speer, Village President, signed the document.

8. Sign MVUHS Water Line Engineering Study Loan Reimbursement Documents:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that the State Revolving Loan Program funding application has been filled out and is ready for board approval and signatures. He stated this will allow the Village of Swanton to get reimbursed for the engineering cost for the MVUHS water line replacement study. He said the amount of reimbursement is $28,500. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and sign the State Revolving Loan Program Funding Application so that the Village of Swanton will be reimbursed $28,500 for the engineering study on the MVUHS water line replacement job. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. The Board signed all necessary loan documents.

9. Tour the Orman Croft Generating Facility:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, introduced Scott Mueller, Hydro Plant Supervisor and Jason Starr, Hydro Plant operator, to the Board of Trustees. Reg stated that the 2016 Annual Village Report was dedicated to the Hydro Plant and its employees and said this was a good time to tour the plant. Scott began the tour mentioning their new control room addition that was paid for by VPPSA because of the Project 10 work done by the Hydro Plant operators. Scott then took the Board on a tour of the Hydro Plant facility.

10. Discussion on Rubber Bag Replacement:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, stated he has been talking with Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, regarding moving forward with the rubber bag replacement. He said they are going to have do a 108 filing and also get voter approval so he wants to begin this process. He said there will be a lot of permits to deal with and is questioning whether or not they hire an engineer to help with this process. He said he has talked with Paul Nolan regarding the installation of the rubber bag and also with Pizzagali Construction. They both think the Village should hire an engineer. He said this whole process of replacing the bag will take approximately two weeks to complete. Chris Leach suggested Reg call H.L. Turner and see what they have to offer. Neal Speer also suggested that when they go out for bid on this project they ask whether they would like an engineer or can they handle the job without one. Reg stated that an engineer will be able to define the work in better detail and said he would do some more research on this topic. Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Swanton Village Manager, to look into contractors, the need for engineering, dates and costs for replacement of the rubber bag at the Hydro Facility. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Eugene LaBombard asked what the lead time was on ordering the new bag. Reg thought at least six months but said he would check on it. Eugene also asked Reg if he had enough resources to help work on this project and asked Reg to let them know if not. Motion carried.

11. Discussion on Water Haulers Filling Up at Fire Department:

Dianne Day, Village Clerk, explained to the Board that some Village employees were having a discussion on whether or not the Village should charge individual water haulers for water coming out of the Fire Department. After some thought Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, suggested that if we do charge we use the “Commercial Town” rate structure which would be $92.63 customer charge per month and charge $5.11 per 1,000 gallons. As an example, if a water hauler were to get 12,000 gallons of water for the month of June it would cost $153.95. Dianne told the Board that the way it stands now is these water haulers are giving Star Hose a donation and that over the years Star Hose has purchased three fire trucks and that has helped the tax payers tremendously. She told the Board she wasn’t sure how much of a donation they paid to the Fire Department. Chris Leach suggested the Village charge the water hauler the customer charge and give the Fire Department the usage portion of the bill. He asked if we knew how other towns were charging private water haulers for their water. Dianne stated she didn’t know but said she would do some more research and find out. The Board suggested this item be tabled until further information was gathered and requested it be put on the next agenda.

12. Any Other Necessary Business:

Neal Speer stated he wanted to congratulate the light crew for the street lights on downtown Merchants Row. He said he really appreciates it and it brightens up the downtown area.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach stated he was stepping down from his position as Northwest Regional Planning Commission commissioner as of June 30, 2017. He said they need to find a Swanton Village representative and they meet once per month. Neal Speer thanked Chris for his input on the board.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated he wanted to thank everyone that helped with the Memorial Day Parade. He said the Police Department, Fire Department, Fire Cadets, Village Public Works and Village and Town employees all helped tremendously. He said on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, he thanks them all.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated the big fountain in the Village Green is leaking and has some stones missing in the base of the fountain. He said it’s in pretty bad shape and they should think about refurbishing it. Neal Speer stated he knows a local mason and he will get in touch with him and get a quote on what it would cost to fix. Reg stated they could put a separate line item on the ballot in March 2018 to refurbish it. Reg also stated he needs an Executive Session to discuss real estate.

13. Public Comment:

None.

14. Executive Session (If Necessary):

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate at 8:32 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:00 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: None.

15. Adjournment:

Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:00 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. Motion carried.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President Date

__________________________________ ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

May 22, 2017

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, May 22, 2017

7:00 PM

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:

None.

3. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, May 8, 2017:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, May 8, 2017 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked if Reg Beliveau had any word on ordering Municipal Parking Signs. Reg said not as of yet but would look into it. Chris Leach asked about a speed study on Gallup Court. He said their “Children At Play” sign has come up missing and he feels 30 mph is too fast for that street. He said he would appreciate more police presence in that area. Chief Stell stated that any speed limit below 30 mph would not be enforceable. He said he would work on more police presence in that area. Motion carried.

4. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, May 19, 2017:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, May 19, 2017 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: None. Motion carried.

5. Meet and Swear In New Police Sergeant:

Chief Stell stated that after a selection committee review the Swanton Police Department came to hire David Kachajian as their new Police Sergeant. He said he has over 20 years experience and also has supervisory experience. He said he is a good fit for their department and he looks forward to working with him. David thanked the Chief and introduced himself to the Board. He said he is looking forward to this next chapter in his police career. Dianne Day, Village Clerk, swore David in as the new Police Sergeant for the Swanton Village Police Department.

6. Review Revised Highgate Converter Sale/Transco Equity Purchase:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, explained to the Board that three towns have opted out of the Highgate Converter Sale Equity Purchase so VPPSA has provided them with a revised memorandum. As part of the sale, Transco will be amending its Operating Agreement to include the ability to issue equity specifically to the Highgate joint owners. VPPSA has requested that Transco include specific language in the Operating Agreement revisions so that:

The equity will be offered directly to each VPPSA Highgate participant based on the participant’s project participation share.
Each participant can choose to “assign” its equity allocation to VPPSA thereby allowing VPPSA to purchase the equity for the benefit of the participant, in the same manner as it does for general equity issuances.
If any participant chooses not to purchase the equity offered to it (or if any VPPSA member chooses not to purchase general equity in the future) VPPSA will have a right to purchase that equity before it is offered more broadly to others.

Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to assign the Village of Swanton’s equity in the Highgate Converter Sale over to VPPSA. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

7. Sign Trackless Plow Lease:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that the lease documents for the new Trackless Plow were ready to be signed and he had Dianne Day, Village Clerk, read the lease resolution to the Board. Eugene LaBombard made the motion authorizing Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to sign all necessary documents pertaining to the lease agreement between the Village of Swanton and Tax Exempt Leasing Corp for $105,000 over 5 years at 3.19% with an annual payment of $22,339.14. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

8. Hydro Line of Credit Discussion:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that the Village has received the terms and conditions for Capital Improvements to replace the aging infrastructure at the Highgate Hydro Facility from Union Bank. He said this would be a 20 year note for $442,547 with a 3.28% fixed interest rate. Reg stated there would be an annual principal and interest payment of $30,527.39. Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Capital Improvement Note from Union Bank for $442,547 over the next 20 years with a 3.28% fixed interest rate to replace the aging infrastructure at the Highgate Hydro Facility. He also authorized Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to sign all necessary documents pertaining to this Capital Improvement note. Chris Leach seconded both motions. Motions carried.

9. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach stated he wanted to address the speeding issue in the Village of Swanton. He said they need to keep this under control and said he would like all smaller streets in the Village to be reduced to 20 mph. Reg Beliveau said he would discuss this with the new Police Sergeant and with the Chief of Police and see if they have any new ideas about this issue.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard stated traffic was jammed a few days ago over by Riverside Cemetery. He said it’s extremely busy between 3 and 4 p.m.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman said he wanted to remind everyone about the upcoming Memorial Day Parade on May 29^th at 2:30 p.m. He said to expect delays because Grand Avenue would be closed from 2:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman said there are some trees in the Village Green that need to come down and asked if Gabree’s Tree Trimming can come in and take a look at these trees. Reg stated they’ve been looking and identifying what tree’s that should come down and said they could put this in next year’s budget. He said the Electric crew will be taking down some of the limbs and some of the trees but said they would need to budget for this. He said they also plan on removing the sidewalk that runs through the middle of the park.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman said he has no further information regarding the swans but would let the Board know as soon as he hears anything. He asked if there was an update on the paving issue. Reg Beliveau said he sent a list to the State of Vermont detailing areas of concern. He said there is standing water over near Bourne’s Energy and by Bob’s One Stop. He said they started working on all side streets and driveways, and also put top soil down and seeded those areas. He said he needs to find out what’s going to happen if the Village doesn’t sign off on this project. He said it hasn’t gone well. Eugene stated his driveway was still in poor condition.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman said he is still interested in making Brown Avenue a dead end street. Reg Beliveau said it can’t be made a dead end street because of the bank but they could make it a “No Left Turn” street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adam said he wants to move forward on this because it’s a very hard street to come off from if you’re turning left.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau informed the Board that he was approached by a local businessman asking to make individuals selling Christmas trees, etc. to purchase a peddlers permit.

Any Other Business: Dianne Day, Village Clerk, showed the Board some of the books from the 1800’s that were preserved by KoFile. She also showed them the hard cover books that the Village Reports were made into. The Board was pleased with the outcome.

Any Other Business: Neal Speer mentioned the lights at Merchants Row and asked if Reg had an update regarding this. Reg stated the electric department has put together a quote for the lighting and they are getting it to the store owners. He said the new LED lights cost pennies to operate. Chris Leach stated the Village should pay for the lights on Merchants Row because they own the sidewalk there. Neal stated he wanted this topic on the next agenda because he also feels the Village should provide the lighting there on Merchants Row. Neal also mentioned the Swanton Enhancement group held a meeting last week and he didn’t know anything about it. He said he wanted it noted that they need to do a better job getting the word out there regarding their meetings. Adam said all steering committees gave an update. Neal asked when the Fairweather meeting was, Adam stated it was on 6/1 at the Town Office.

10. Public Comment:

None.

11. Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate at 8:02 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

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

ACTION TAKEN: None.

12. Adjournment:

Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:30 p.m. Eugene LaBombard 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

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

May 8, 2017

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, May 8, 2017

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Neal Speer, Village President; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Chris Leach, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Brian Savage; Representing Star Hose Co.; Christina Forcier and Darcy Benoit, Swanton Arts Council; Elizabeth Nance; 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 7:01 p.m.

2. Agenda Review:

Neal Speer stated that he would like to move Public Comment to the beginning of the meeting to accommodate the guest present tonight. Dianne Day, Village Clerk, informed the Board that she would like to add “SQRP Report” to Any Other Business.

3. Public Comment:

Darcy Benoit, Swanton Arts Council, stated she would like to request permission for the Swanton Arts Council to host a live event in the Village Park on Saturday, August 12, 2017 with a back up date of July 22, 2017. She said this would be a family friendly event with local merchants involved. Adam Paxman suggested we check with the Chief of Police first because they are holding their National Night Out event in August as well. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve the Swanton Art Council’s request to hold an Art Show in the Village Park on Saturday, August 12, 2017 or July 22, 2017 pending Chief Joey Stell’s input. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. Village Clerk will contact Chief Stell regarding the date of National Night Out and will then let the Arts Council know what date works for them.

Public Comment: Elizabeth Nance stated that as of now Harold Garrett is the Town of Swanton’s NRPC TAC (Transportation Advisory Committee) representative and she is asking the Village if they are interested in her representing the Village of Swanton. Neal Speer stated that this would be beneficial to him as he is on many other committees there. Chris Leach made the motion to appoint Elizabeth Nance as the Village Representative for TAC through Northwest Regional Planning Committee. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried. Elizabeth also informed the Board that she starts this coming Monday as the Economic Coordinator for Swanton and said she is excited to begin working on this.

4. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, April 10, 2017:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, April 10, 2017 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: None.

5. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, May 5, 2017:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, May 5, 2017. Chris Leach seconded. Discussion: Adam Paxman asked how the Village was doing on Purchase Power and Lynn Paradis stated that they were under budget as of now. Reg Beliveau said the power plant was producing a lot of power also. Motion carried.

6. Brian Savage Representing Star Hose Co. Regarding the Possible Sale of the Pirsch Pumper Truck:

Brian Savage stated he was there on behalf of the Fire Department Star Hose Company requesting permission to sell the 1946 Pirsch Pumper Truck. He said the Fire Department members discussed and voted on this at their annual meeting. He said they have received an offer of $3200 and the pumper truck would be available if the Village ever needed to use it. He said there is lots of history with this truck because it was the first fire truck purchased for the department. He said they have no idea what it’s worth and would need to get it appraised before they sold it. He said Dan Desorcie of Highgate could appraise the vehicle. Brian said to get that truck in showroom condition it would cost approximately $25,000 to $30,000 to do. He said St. Albans had done that to one of their antique trucks a while back but said Swanton doesn’t have the resources to do that. Chris Leach asked if the members of the department wanted to sell the truck. Brian said yes they voted on it and they voted in favor of selling the truck. Adam Paxman asked why they would want to sell it. Brian said because of space issues. Chris Leach asked if the buyer was affiliated with the department. Brian said yes he was a member of the department and a mechanic. Adam Paxman stated he didn’t want to give this truck up as it is part of the Fire Department’s history. Eugene LaBombard asked if it was offered to the Swanton Historical Society, he said it should be left there before being sold. Reg Beliveau stated they knew the significance of the truck and have an agreement with the buyer saying it could be returned to the Village if something happens to him. Adam stated he doesn’t feel they should give up ownership of it. Brian Savage stated years ago they kept one at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Chris stated it was nice to have this agreement with the potential buyer, that it could be returned to the Village if something happens. He said it should be used in Village parades, etc. He said it was worth having it appraised. Neal Speer stated he wanted the Village to keep that truck. He said it belongs to the Fire Department and he helped to restore it to usable condition years ago. He also stated he helped pull that truck out of the fire years ago when the fire station burned. He said current members don’t feel the same way about it. He said he would like to get it appraised but not sell it. Chris said he understands they need more space and hopefully some becomes available soon. Brian asked if the Village would be willing to pay for the appraisal, thinking it may cost around $500. He said he would do some research on it. Brian also stated he would report this decision to the Fire Department and said he would get back to the Board regarding an appraisal. The Board thanked Brian for coming in.

7. Approval to lease Trackless Sidewalk Plow with Sweeper:

Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, stated she has received two proposals for the Trackless Sidewalk Plow and they are: Tax Exempt Leasing Corp, $105,000 for 5 years at 3.19% with an annual payment of $22,339.14 and one from Municipal Leasing Consultants, $105,000 for 5 years at 3.79% with an annual payment of $22,590.69. Lynn said Municipal Leasing Consultants have been a little higher but she still wanted to check with them. Chris Leach asked at the end of the lease would the Village own the Sidewalk Plow. Lynn said yes they will purchase it for $1. Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, to purchase the new Sidewalk Plow through Tax Exempt Leasing Corp. for $105,000 with an interest rate of 3.19% for 5 years with an annual payment of $22,339.14. Adam Paxman seconded. Discussion: Eugene LaBombard asked if the existing attachments would fit on the new plow and Lynn said yes they would and that they are keeping all attachments. Motion carried.

8. Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile Requesting Coin Drop for Saturday, October 14, 2017:

Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile are requesting a Coin Drop to be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile’s request to hold a coin drop on Saturday, October 14^th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried with two yays, one nay.

9. Review Village Speed Studies and Discuss:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, informed the Board that the Police Department did a speed study on Grand Avenue over a three day period. He said 14,013 vehicles were recorded and the average speed was 19 mph. He said the highest speed recorded was 41 mph and the heaviest volume of traffic was between 3 and 8 p.m. Chris Leach stated that he feels there are a lot of speeders on Gallup Court and would like a higher police presence in that area. Reg Beliveau said he would pass that information on to the Police. Reg said they also did a speed study on Canada Street and 7,202 vehicles were recorded. He said the average speed was 24 mph and the highest speed recorded was 62 mph. The heaviest volume of traffic on Canada Street is between 4 and 6 p.m. Eugene LaBombard said he received a complaint about speeding on Canada Street as well. Adam Paxman suggested they make Brown Avenue a “No Left Turn” street because it’s so difficult getting off that road. Eugene said because it’s a Class II road they would need to get the State of Vermont involved. Reg said they do a Walking School Bus on Wednesday and said they have a concern with drivers not paying attention to the crosswalks. He said he had the Police check it out and haven’t seen any issues as of yet.

10. Review Electric Utility Lineworker Appreciation Day:

Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, said he sent Duane Couture and Corey Hurley down to Montpelier for recognition on Utility Lineworker Appreciation Day. He said there were eight utilities there and the Governor read something about Swanton Village. Reg said he would like to get a picture of all the linemen and frame it with the Resolution.

11. Any Other Necessary Business:

Dianne Day, Village Clerk, informed the Board that the first quarter SQRP Report was complete. Chris Leach said as usual the report looks good and said everyone involved does a great job. Lynn Paradis informed the Board that this report gets sent to the Department of Public Service and to the Public Service Board. Adam Paxman made the motion to accept the first quarter SQRP report as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Any Other Business: Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager, informed the Board that she would like to develop a Capital Asset Plan. She said this plan would document all vehicles owned by the Village for each department as well as water lines, sewer lines, etc. She said this plan would help set priorities and helps plan for future projects. She said she wanted to implement this Village wide and with the FERC license coming up lots of money will be spent on that. She said with this plan they could see what each street has for water and sewer lines and when they need replacing, paving etc. She said it’s a great scheduling tool. Reg Beliveau said there is a Capital Assets Management grant for the Water Department and they have re-applied for that again this year. Chris Leach stated this is a great idea but asked who would implement it. He asked Lynn if she would need to hire another person to do this. Lynn said no, that she would work with department heads and the office staff to do this. Reg also said there is a grant for the Wastewater Department he’s applied for because there are lines that need replacing as well. Lynn said very few municipalities have a Capital Asset Plan in place but she is hoping to get one done here. Eugene LaBombard said he recalls reviewing something like this a long time ago and said voter approval was needed for it. He asked Lynn if she would need voter approval to get this done and she said yes she would have to go before the voters for this. She said listing the vehicles wouldn’t be difficult but the water lines, sewer lines etc. would be. She said there are some retirements coming up and she would like this in place before that happens. The Board members all agreed to have Lynn go ahead and pursue this Capital Asset Plan.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked if the State would be coming in to finish up any of the paving issues from last year. Reg Beliveau said he just met with the State and with the Contractor and they will be starting next week. Chris also asked if any of our electric crew members needed to go to Rutland to help with their outages. Reg said no not as of yet.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman asked if it was possible to order bigger Municipal Parking signs. He said they need to be more visible and possibly have the swan logo on them and hopefully will draw people to park in the Municipal parking lots. Reg Beliveau said he would look into it.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman said there was a coin drop this past weekend and asked when they can be cancelled due to rain, snow etc.? He said he would like to determine who cancels them when it’s raining, etc. Dianne Day, Village Clerk, stated that the contact person for this past coin drop called her on Saturday morning wondering the same thing. She said she told her that if they didn’t mind getting wet if it was just sprinkling to go ahead with the coin drop and hopefully the rain would stop. She then told her that if it continued to rain hard that would be a safety issue and they should call off the coin drop. If they were out there for one hour or less they could use their rain date the following weekend. Chris Leach said that was a good answer, just using common sense. Adam said he wouldn’t mind being the person in charge to cancel coin drops if it was raining or snowing due to safety issues. Chris and Eugene felt things were fine the way they are being handled now and wanted to leave it that way.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked Lynn if there was an update yet on changing banks. Lynn said not yet, they haven’t made a decision as of yet. He also asked Reg how the aerators were working at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Reg said they are working good right now. Eugene asked Adam if there was any word on getting the swans. Adam said he is waiting to hear back from Fish & Wildlife regarding this. Reg said he received an email today asking for an MOU from the Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Swanton and from MVUHS regarding the swans. Eugene asked about the big rut on Greenwich Street and whether it has been fixed yet. Reg said he would look into this and get back to him.

12. Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate and Legal Matters at 8:26 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:10 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: None.

13. Adjournment:

Adam Paxman made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 9:10 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m. Motion carried.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President Date

__________________________________ ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

April 10, 2017

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, April 10, 2017

7:00 PM

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 7:02 p.m.

2. Agenda Review:

Dianne Day, Village Clerk, informed the Board that Brian Savage came in the office today and informed her that he was unable to attend tonight’s meeting. She also informed them that MVUHS came in on Friday, April 7^th and asked that MVU Football coin drop request be changed to MVUHS Substance Free Committee coin drop request.

3. Approve and Accept Minutes from Monday, March 27, 2017:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept Minutes from Monday, March 27, 2017 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Chris Leach asked if there was any further information on the sale of the Highgate Converter Station. Reg Beliveau said he had sent the Board an email with some legal issues regarding the sale. Motion carried.

4. Approve and Accept Village Warrants through Friday, April 7, 2017:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through Friday, April 7, 2017. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Discussion: Eugene LaBombard stated that his packet of warrants was dated March 23^rd through March 31^st. Village Clerk Dianne Day explained that she listed the date of April 7^th in case anymore warrants came through up to that point. Motion carried.

5. Brian Savage Representing Star Hose Co. Regarding the Possible Sale of the Pirsch Pumper Truck:

Item tabled until next meeting.

6. VT State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement for Contract #3 (Second St., Fourth St., Canada St. and Transmission main from Robin Hood Dr to the Reservoir) for $3,062,559.50 with a -3.00% Interest Rate:

Dianne Day, Village Clerk, stated that Assistant Village Manager Lynn Paradis told her now that the water line project is complete the State has finalized the loan documents and the Board just needs to sign them. All Board members signed the necessary loan documents.

7. MVUHS Substance Free Committee Requesting Coin Drop for Saturday, May 6, 2017:

MVUHS Substance Free Committee came in on Friday, April 7^th and requested they be put on the Agenda for a coin drop in May instead of the Football Team. They are requesting Saturday, May 6, 2017 with a rain date of Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Chris Leach made the motion to approve MVUHS Substance Free Committee’s request to hold a coin drop on Saturday, May 6^th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon with a rain date of Saturday, May 13^th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried with two yays, one nay.

8. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach asked if the Police Department received any responses from the drug competition form they put on Facebook. Village Clerk Dianne Day stated that they received one in the mail today.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated he wanted to make sure that when coin drops are held the proper signage is put in place at the corners of Pine Street and First Street and Brown Avenue and First Street.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked if there was any action taken on changing banks. Reg Beliveau informed the Board that Lynn is having a meeting with Union Bank on Tuesday, April 11^th.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked how the sidewalk study meeting went. Chris Leach stated he felt this was a very expensive project and said a decision was made to go up Route 78 to MVUHS. He said there are issues with drainage and trees. He said they discussed running the sidewalk behind some houses and the town garage but some students said they would walk up Route 78 anyways. Chris also said they are looking at a 4’ extension on either side of the road down on South River St. He said they were told there is grant money available for sidewalks so they are hoping to get one.

9. Public Comment:

Kathy Kneebone said she was present tonight because she heard there was the possibility of the Teen Center closing because the Memorial Auditorium building might go up for sale. Reg Beliveau stated that the Trustees are considering selling the Memorial Auditorium building but they wouldn’t close the Teen Center. He said if anything happened they would relocate the Teen Center elsewhere. Chris Leach said they have no intent on closing the Teen Center. Kathy asked if there was anything they could do to help relocate the Teen Center. Chris Leach said with permitting issues this could potentially take months to sell. He said they have nothing but kudos for the Teen Center. Kathy asked if they were selling it to bring business into the Village. Brian Barratt asked if this was the reason for selling the building. He asked if this building was costing us money and said he knows renovating is very expensive. Chris Leach said they are trying to keep the nature of the building in mind because it is a “Memorial Building.” Kathy asked if the Teen Center was the only thing in that building. Chris said no that a business called BMTM is in there also and employees approximately 26 people. He said they would like to relocate them in Swanton also. He said it is their incentive to have something great downtown. Neal Speer stated regardless of what happens it will be best for the community. Reg thanked Kathy for coming in and she said she wants people to help if needed.

10. Executive Session to Discuss Real State:

Adam Paxman made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Real Estate at 7:26 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 8:35 p.m. and to re-enter Open Session. Eugene LaBombard seconded both motions. Motions carried.

ACTION TAKEN: Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Village Manager Reginald Beliveau to write a letter of intent to sell 3 Label Lane to prospective buyer Gordon Winters. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

11. Adjournment:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of the Trustees meeting at 8:37 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Neal Speer, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:37 p.m. Motion carried.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Neal Speer, Village President Date

_____________________________________ ___________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date