Swanton Village Meeting Minutes

Monday, July 23, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - July 23rd, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Monday, July 23, 2012

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Ronald Kilburn, 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 Channel 16.

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

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

1. Approve and Accept the Minutes from Monday, July 9, 2012 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, July 9, 2012 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Eugene stated good work on the Mailbox on Merchants Row.

2. Approve Village Warrants Through July 20, 2012:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through July 20, 2012 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Chris Leach asked about the Westfalia invoice. Lynn Paradis explained that was repairs to the centrifuse at the Waste Water Plant. Ron Kilburn asked what Open Arms Embroidery was for? Lynn advised that is a local business that embroiders the Police Department uniforms. Ron asked what the Swanton Lumber invoice was for, Reg Beliveau advised that was for the new siding on Complex. Ron also asked about Warrant #453, the Aldrich & Elliott invoices. Lynn advised that was just showing the funds manually coming out of the Village’s Water Plant checking account to pay for engineering services for the Water Plant upgrade. Motion carried.

3. Solar Aerators:

Reg Beliveau informed the Board he contacted Aeromix regarding the shipping charges and he is waiting to hear back from them. The last figure received for shipping was $3800. Adam Paxman stated if the insurance value was less they could ship it for between $3000 and $3400. Reg also informed them they were looking into leasing the aerators from either Aeromix or Municipal Leasing. He said if they lease with Aeromix and something goes wrong with the aerators they could terminate the lease, return the aerators and receive half of the Village’s payments back. He explained that they put that stipulation in their lease agreement because some companies made cuts in their budgets and returned their aerators and also a change in Board members could cause a municipality to change their minds. He said this gives them an avenue out if they would need one. He said Jim Irish does not see a downside to this at all. Lynn Paradis said she would receive final numbers at the time of the lease but there was only a small difference between Aeromix and Municipal Leasing. Lynn and Reg stated they would prefer leasing with Aeromix because of the ability to return the aerators if they had to.

Chris Leach stated he would go ahead with their recommendation and approve leasing with Aeromix. He also mentioned the $1 buyout at the end of their five year lease. Reg stated he wanted to get the final numbers for the Board before moving forward. Chris Leach advised they table this item until Reg has all information necessary. Adam Paxman asked what they would do if they did have to return the new aerators. Reg advised that the original 16 aerators will remain in place. Reg explained the lagoon eco system and how they will work. Lynn also advised if they removed those original 16 aerators they would need an engineer and state approval. Reg stated he would get the final numbers including shipping charges for the leasing plan and would also present them with the estimated savings. Item tabled.

4. Park Improvements:

Reg Beliveau informed the Board that six trees have been removed from the Village Green and two have been removed from Flat Iron Park. He said the Veterans have replaced the two trees in Flat Iron Park with two fruit trees. He said he has talked with H&B Greenhouse about purchasing two maple trees, two lilac trees and two oak trees. He said the public works crew would help with planting the trees. He also showed the Board pictures of benches he looked at and they cost approximately $260 each. The Board is undecided on what style of bench at this time and Adam Paxman decided to research this item further. Reg stated he looked at Morrisville’s Park and they have picnic tables and Adirondack chairs in their park. He said it looked very nice. Adam stated that the Chamber of Commerce has 5 picnic tables and once the Field Days are over he would put them in the Park if they were interested. Ron Kilburn asked for a budget plan of what has been spent so far or will be spent. They discussed putting a new sidewalk in by the Village Green Apartments, purchasing the six new trees, adding six benches before the end of summer and two benches in Flat Iron Park. They discussed their voter approved $8000 budget and said it wouldn’t last long with all these plans. Chris Leach also stated he needed to get in contact with someone from the VFW about purchasing a granite plaque in support of the Veterans and placing it in Flat Iron Park.

5. Request to Take Over Thibault Parkway/Evelyn Lane:

Reg Beliveau explained to the Board that he spoke with Andre Leduc’s engineer regarding the Village taking over ownership of Thibault Parkway and Evelyn Lane. He said they have met the Village’s criteria of maintaining the roads one year and have also filled out their Right of Way. Reg said he talked with Mike Menard and Mike is fine with the Village taking over these streets. He said he was there when they did the work and that the roads have been well maintained. The Board acknowledges the Village taking over ownership of these two roads.

6. Follow Up On JLB Meeting Next Steps:

Chris Leach mentioned the Equipment Tax issue and said they are trying to find a resolution to this issue. Reg stated he met with Dave Jescavage and they contacted some of the neighboring towns who charge an equipment tax and are waiting to hear back from them. They are asking them their procedure when it comes to this issue. Chris stated it needs to fair, reasonable and the money needs to go to a specific place and said they need to be able to police it. Ron Kilburn stated that without policing it they are still bringing in $38,000 per year. Eugene said they need to police it more fairly and said that once the word gets out there it will happen.

Chris Leach also mentioned the anti-smoking signs. Reg stated he is waiting to hear back from the printer at the Correctional Facility. Chris said the Chief of Police is working on putting together an Advisory Committee as well. Chris stated that Harold Garrett had a good idea, that was installing a sidewalk from the bridge to the Rail Road Depot. Eugene LaBombard stated he would rather see a sidewalk from the Village to MVUHS to be safer for our children. Reg stated he was working on a grant along with Northwest Regional Planning to get a sidewalk installed from here to MVU. He said he joined forces with the Town and are hoping they get the grant.

7. Discussion on Vacant Building Code and Possible Ordinance:

Reg stated that when a house is vacated or foreclosed upon he is wondering if the Village should have a vacant building code or ordinance to follow. He said the Town of Ludlow has one in place and this helps them know whose house is vacated and a permit is filled out. Ron Kilburn asked if this was problem enough in the Village to warrant an ordinance. Reg stated that several vacated homes have been broken into and some are safety hazards. Ron asked if the homeowners would respond by getting a letter from the Village Manager instead. Adam Paxman stated this is a valid concern and said he would like to hear more from Chief Stell on this when he returns. The Board tabled this item until their next meeting.

Reg stated he wanted to move to Item #9 because Item #8 may go into Executive Session if they discuss a customer’s account.

9. Any Other Necessary Business:

Adam Paxman said their Chamber of Commerce Car Show is Saturday, July 28^th and said he hopes to see everyone there. Chris Leach said this shows the potential of using the Village Green for other events such as concerts, car shows, fall harvest festivals, etc.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn showed a picture of the Lavoie Avenue and Spring Street intersection stating it hasn’t been addressed and is a safety hazard. Reg said he hasn’t talked with Mike Menard about this yet but would do so.

Any Other Business: Lynn Paradis advised the Board that at their last meeting they authorized Reg Beliveau to sign the lease for the police cruiser. She said she had the Resolution for that lease and it needs to be signed by the Village President. Ron Kilburn signed the Resolution.

Any Other Business: Lynn Paradis advised the Board that the Village’s 2^nd quarter SQRP report was complete and needed their review. Eugene LaBombard stated he acknowledges receipt of this report. Chris Leach said excellent job and thanked everyone involved.

8. Rate Review:

Chris Leach made the motion to enter into a Water Commissioner’s meeting at 8:20 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Lynn Paradis advised the Board that she has been looking into the water rates and how it is billed and said she was looking into changing the billing method. She said at their last meeting she mentioned billing by water meter size but after talking with Aldrich & Elliott meter size billing and our rate structure now is very close. She said it would entail a lot of time and work to set up all twelve classes for billing by meter size and is recommending to the Board that she keeps the rate structure we now have. She said this will simplify the billing part of it and said she is also recommending a rate increase and showed the Board a couple of examples she is looking into. The Board asked her when she would like the rate increase to take place and she advised them by the fourth quarter of this year. She said that way they can hold a public hearing and the rate payers would have advance notice. Reg stated they are also promoting water conservation, the less water a customer uses the lower their bill will be. Lynn advised the Board she would put together some bill examples showing the amount with our current rates and the amount with her proposed rates for their next meeting. She said she would include some residential accounts, commercial accounts and industrial accounts. Chris Leach made the motion to exit Water Commissioner’s Meeting at 8:39 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded.

10. Executive Session to Discuss Personnel:

Chris Leach made the motion to enter Executive Session to Discuss Personnel at 8:40 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded.

Chris Leach made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:23 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn at 9:25 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ron Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:25 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Monday, July 9, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - July 9th, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Monday, July 9, 2012

7:00 PM

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

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

1. Approve and Accept the Minutes from Monday, June 11, 2012 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, June 11, 2012 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Chris asked if any trees in the Park had been cut, Reg advised that the Electric crew had cut some in the Village Green and that two trees have been replaced already in Flat Iron Park. Chris also asked about the shrubs protruding over the sidewalks. Reg stated he is getting a quote from H&B Greenhouse for trees to be planted in the Village Green. He said they advised that fall is the best time of year to plant trees. Reg stated he talked with a resident about his shrubs covering the sidewalk and the resident was fine with them being cut. Ron Kilburn mentioned the park benches and said there are some at the Town Clerks office and he would like Reg to take a look at them. He said they are made of concrete, very comfortable and sturdy and are traditional in style. He said they can be anchored down. Reg advised he would take a look at them. Motion carried to approve the Minutes.

2. Approve Village Warrants Through July 6, 2012:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through July 6, 2012 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. Chris Leach asked why I wasn’t numbering the warrants, I explained I was using the date instead that way they can be more current and up to date. They approved of this practice.

3. Chad Spooner from the VT Department of Health Presenting an Overview – What They’re Doing In Our Local Community:

I advised the Board that Chad Spooner called and cancelled his presentation due to staffing changes. He said he would call back in a month or two to reschedule.

4. Solar Aerators for Waste Water Treatment Plant Discussion:

Reg Beliveau advised the Board that he has been looking into replacing the aging electric Solar Aerators at the Waste Water Treatment Plant since last year and said they haven’t been able to get any firm numbers until now. He said he’s been given a quote from Aeromix on replacing all five units and would like for the Board to look over this information before making a decision. He said the cost for all five units would be approximately $101,000 after Efficiency Vermont money is received and they have been looking into a couple of leasing options which include a Municipal Lease or a lease from the manufacturer with a buyout for $1 at the end of the 5 year lease. He said this would be the first benchmarking system in the State of Vermont so they are very interested in moving forward.

Aeromix recommends upgrading the facility to a CMS process (Controlled Mix Stabilization). The upgrade would consist of three units with remote monitoring in the primary pond and one unit placed in each of the secondary and tertiary ponds for a total of five units. This process results in increased dissolved oxygen concentrations in the aerobic layer and thereby accelerates the digestion of soluble BOD while decreasing opportunity for algae blooms and odor problems, producing a healthier aquatic environment.

Lynn Paradis showed the Board what she has figured if they were to lease the units with either Aeromix Lease or with Municipal Leasing Consultants. She also informed them they would save approximately 44% of their electric bill at that WWTP which amounts to approximately $25,000 per year.

Chris Leach asked if there wasn’t enough sun how would the units work. Reg explained that each unit has a two amp motor that will be hard wired and that they are real easy to maintain. Reg said that in past years they have factored into the budget replacing one or two units per year but he is recommending replacing all five units at once and leasing them through one of these companies. He said he would like for the Board members to look this information over and at their next meeting make a decision on this purchase. Ron Kilburn asked if this was a necessity now and Reg advised that yes it was. Adam asked what their lifespan was, Reg said approximately 20 years. Eugene asked if the price included installation. Reg advised that they could do some of the work with their boom truck. Reg thanked the Board and said he would include this item on their next agenda.

5. Police Department Cruiser Lease Information:

Lynn Paradis informed the Board that their new Police cruiser has come in and they have been discussing leasing this cruiser. She advised this is the new police cruiser for the Town Police Contract and would be part of the operating lease, if the budget is not passed they can turn the car back over. She has received a quote from Municipal Leasing which is 36 months, 4.29% interest rate for a total of $31,726.80 or Ford Leasing at 6.15% interest rate for a total of $32,218.56 with a $1 buyout on each lease.

Chris Leach asked if the Village leased any other vehicles and Lynn said no they haven’t in the past. She said there are no funds in the Capital Reserve Fund so she has been thinking about leasing this vehicle for the Town Police Contract.

Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Lynn Paradis to move forward with Municipal Leasing Corporation with an interest rate of 4.29% for a total cost of $31,726.80 to lease the police cruiser for the Town Police Contract. He also authorizes Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to sign all necessary documents pertaining to this lease agreement. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Leonard Stell advised that it cost approximately $4000 for the necessary equipment and paint needed to set up the cruiser. He said the reviews on this cruiser are great, the gas mileage is good, its AWD and he said a lot of these items are factored into the budget with the Town.

6. Water Rate Discussion:

Reg Beliveau advised because of the upgrade to the Water Treatment Plant there will need to be a rate increase and asked if they should do it all in one shot or in increments. Chris Leach asked if a study was done on this and Lynn advised that she has received some numbers from Aldrich & Elliott but would like some direction from the Board. Lynn explained how the rate structure was set up now and said they have looked into restructuring the rate schedule based on meter size and usage. She explained the fixed cost and variable cost factored into setting the rates. Chris said he liked the idea of using meter size because this would be beneficial to a lot of small businesses that don’t use a lot of water. Lynn advised she has run the numbers a few different ways and also factored depreciation into the rates. She also explained that our water rates now are way below state average and that’s why the Village didn’t receive any grant funds to help with the upgrade. Chris stated he liked the meter size schedule and Adam agreed stating it was simple and understandable. Eugene stated he agreed but was worried about the large industries. He said he would like to see some of these proposed bills before they move forward and asked when she would implement the rate increase. Lynn stated she would like to by the third or fourth quarter that way the ratepayers are hearing about it now and can call and ask questions.

Chris Leach asked why the rates were different for the Town and Village residents and Lynn stated that it was required on one of the bonds for the CSO project and that it is based on ownership. Chris stated Village residents own the system so they should get a better rate because of that. Reg stated he liked this structure because it entices conservation. Chris advised he would like to see some examples of the bills, show the differences, look at residential, commercial and industrial.

Lynn stated she also received some numbers from Wayne Elliott regarding the sewer rate information and they would like to use the same theory on the sewer rates. Lynn explained the handful of customers who are on special sewer rates and said it’s not consistent and said she would like to simplify those rates as well. She explained BOD and phosphorus are factored into this billing. Chris stated that if a customer is required to file with the State of Vermont then they should be on this special billing but if not they should be on regular billing, that seems more fair.

Adam asked if they could just increase the water rates now and not sewer. Lynn stated that the sewer rates really needed it now also, that they are heavily in debt in that department. Reg said they have sat down and looked at the rates and said this is uncomfortable but necessary. Chris stated that they have always made good business decisions, he would like for it to be fair and not manipulated. Eugene stated they shouldn’t be surprised because the voters approved the project. Chris stated their rates now are extremely inexpensive and below average so feels this is necessary. Ron asked what was the best way to do PR on this and Lynn advised they hold a public forum meeting. Chris asked if they could also do a bill insert and Lynn advised she wanted to wait for solid numbers before doing that. She advised she would work up some sample bills showing before and after increase and also said she would like to keep the water and sewer rates the same. She said the sewer rate discussion would be added to the next agenda as well and said she would show the comparison impact on the bills.

7. Yard Sale Discussion -- Ordinance?:

Ron Kilburn stated that as Zoning Administrator he has received a lot of calls regarding yard sales in the Village. He said he is not advocating for stricter laws or an Ordinance but suggest they have a discussion on it. Eugene LaBombard asked if residents picked up their items afterward would that be better? Chief Stell advised there have been a couple of places where it caused a traffic issue and that he has talked with the homeowners and resolved the issue. He said their biggest complaint is items left in the Village green such as couches, mattresses, etc. He said that’s the bigger issue at this time. Chief Stell advised that when St. Albans City adopted an Ordinance in 1997 it was heavily enforced but now enforcement is almost none and they still have a problem with garbage left in the Right of Way. He asked how would they enforce an Ordinance, go to every sale and ask for a license. He said he would prefer to put the word out there that they are having a problem with items left in the right of way and ask for residents to get rid of their garbage in the proper place. Chris Leach advised the Georgia Solid Waste site is open six days per week.

Ron Kilburn stated if they had an Ordinance it would be a burden on the Village Clerk to issue licenses and a burden on the Police to enforce it but stated that Zoning cannot enforce this. Ed Daniel stated he was concerned about this because neighbors of his had to park elsewhere because of a sale being held, they couldn’t get into their own driveway. He suggested an insert being sent with electric or water bills stating the trash left alongside the road had to be taken care of. He wondered if one day per month the local trash haulers would volunteer their time and pick these items up.

Ron stated that every street has a Right of Way (ROW) and asked how they should deal with a ROW violation. He asked if they wanted to consider something like “improper disposal in the ROW.” Adam stated he liked the idea of contacting the local trash haulers and ask them if they would consider picking up these items. Ron stated he would contact some of the local haulers and ask them to come in and discuss this issue with the Board. Discussion took place about adding this item to the next JLB agenda because it affected town residents as well.

8. Discussion on New Complex Sign:

Reg Beliveau handed out examples of the proposed new Village Complex sign. He said it would cost approximately $800 and it was a two sided sign approximately 4’x 8’ in size. Ed Daniel stated he would like to see a sign up by the street lights that shows “to Swanton Village Complex” with an arrow. He also stated he would like to see a computerized sign on the bottom of the new Complex sign where they could advertise messages. Eugene LaBombard suggested purchasing from a local business. Reg stated he would get more pricing and keep the Board of Trustees posted.

9. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach stated that this week in the St. Albans Messenger there were articles on Smart Metering about safety issues. He said real concerns are the impact on the user, company, etc. He said both articles implied these meters would tell you how many kwh’s each appliance used but failed to mention you need to purchase smart appliances. He said he would be writing a letter to the editor because he wanted people to understand how this really works and how the data is collected.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach asked about the JLB agenda for July 17^th. He asked that they review the previous meeting’s Minutes to see what was there for action items and said they add Yard Sale discussion to that agenda.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked who is responsible for taking care of the sidewalk, walkways and mailbox on Merchants Row? The Board thought the individual businesses were responsible for their storefront sidewalk, etc. Eugene stated the mailbox there was very dirty and should be cleaned. Ron advised he would mention it to the Post Master.

Any Other Business: Reg stated that the Fire Department is going through 60 pages of proposal for their new Fire Truck and he asked the Board if he could authorize Fire Chief Rick King to sign the new truck contract.

Adam Paxman made the motion to authorize Fire Chief Rick King to sign all necessary documents pertaining to the new fire truck purchase with concurrence with Village Manager Reg Beliveau. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

10. Executive Session to Discuss Legal Matters:

Chris Leach made the motion to enter into Executive Session at 9:05 p.m. to discuss Legal Matters. Eugene LaBombard seconded.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:35 p.m. Chris Leach seconded.

ACTION TAKEN: None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn at 9:36 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ron Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:36 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Monday, June 11, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - June 11th, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Monday, June 11, 2012

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Ronald Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Dave Mullett, VPPSA; and Channel 16.

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

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

1. Approve and Accept the Minutes from Tuesday, May 29, 2012 Meeting:

Chris Leach stated he has read the Minutes, they are complete and comprehensive so he made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Tuesday, May 29, 2012 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Chris also stated the Fire Department has made a decision to go with HME Lakes Region to build their Fire Truck. He said they were the lowest bid at $427,000. He also asked if Ben & Jerry’s was all set to hold their Coin Drop on June 16^th. I advised the Board that Rob Trombley had called earlier in the day and said they cannot hold their requested Coin Drop due to their work schedule. He said they would reapply in August. Motion carried.

2. Approve Village Warrants Through June 8, 2012:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Village Warrants through June 8, 2012 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried. Ron Kilburn asked about some larger items on the Warrants such as EJ Prescott, Holland Co., Teledyne Isco, VPPSA and Aldrich & Elliott. Reg explained who these vendors were and what the Village purchased.

3. Dave Mullett from VPPSA – Discussion on GMP and CVPS Merger:

Dave Mullett from VPPSA was present for this discussion. He was here to help explain the merger between GMP and CVPS. He advised the Board to think of Transco and Velco as owning a Condominium Association. He likened it to Transco owning the condos and Velco being the management company of the condos. He discussed how the Boards were made up, how many members were on each board and what percentage they control. He said if this merger takes place he is satisfied with the representation they have, saying VPPSA is comfortable with it. He said Velco’s credit rating remains strong and that he checked into a third party regarding that issue.

Chris Leach asked how the nomination process works to determine who gets the new seats and also asked the criteria to impeach. Dave explained the nomination process is the same as it has always been and that impeaching someone would be very difficult, that they would have to do something horrible to be impeached. He explained to the Board the creation of Vlite, a public benefit company. Eugene LaBombard stated this was his concern and asked who would appoint the three seats to Vlite. He asked if they would control things. Dave advised the Department of Public Service appoints the members and he didn’t feel they would control things because it was 3 out of 13 members so still fairly represented. He stated that they can never get quite enough assurance but this is the best they can get. He said the Board needed to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to execute this Agreement and that the upside for Swanton Village is the membership and he is comfortable in recommending it. Chris Leach stated he was inclined to favor it. Eugene LaBombard stated his concern again over the Vlite Company. More discussion took place regarding the merger and how financially it won’t affect Swanton Village or how they sell their power in the future.

Chris Leach made the motion to authorize Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, to execute the Letter of Agreement, Shareholder Agreement and Waiver of Rights of First Refusal regarding Velco. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

Reg Beliveau asked the President to move to item #5 before Dave Mullet left the meeting.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

Reg advised the Board that he attended the Smart Grid Summit last week and said they discussed a meter to a home, what information is generated, where it’s going and how it relates to the consumer. He said Dave Mullet attended also and said there were several different vendors there who sell these meters as well as software companies. Some are host sites who collect the data and provide it to the Municipality and the customer. He said customers would be able to compute just exactly how much energy they were using at any given time. Dave stated that in 2007 the Legislature mandated utilities take a strong look at Smart Metering, analyze it, etc. He said Green Mountain Power, CVPS and Burlington Electric are in the process of meter installation and that VEC is almost complete. He said the savings to them are meter reader costs and outage costs. He said there isn’t a lot to be saved and there are vendors now interested in talking with small companies. Reg said there are five or six smaller utilities looking into Smart Metering as well.

Chris Leach asked where’s the beef for him as a customer, he said they know their circuits, they have the SCADA system that tells them if a sub-station is down, a tree on the line, etc. He asked why the focus is on the individual home. Reg said they do have sub-station ability but they don’t have transformers to tell you where the load loss is. Chris stated that for the average customer this is not viable, that they would all need computers and he feels Swanton Village doesn’t need to be the “first” in this. Reg stated there was a lot of concern about “Big Brother” watching people. He said he was glad Dave Mullet was there and that they are looking at this cooperatively instead of individually. He said 40% of the nation is on Smart Grid so far. The Board thanked Dave Mullet for coming in and explaining the Agreements better to them. He exited the meeting at 8:05 p.m.

4. Request to Block Off York and Second Streets on 6/17/2012 for Auction:

Reg Beliveau advised the Board that he was approached by Claude Boucher about having an Auction on June 17^th at 16 York Street. He requested they block off York and Second Street. Chris Leach stated to have the Police Department check into this and if they feel it isn’t a safety hazard and won’t impede traffic they were ok with it. He said if they need police coverage to block the roads they would have to pay for it. Adam Paxman stated he didn’t want anyone parking in Flat Iron Park. Reg stated he would check with the Police and get their thoughts on this. The Board agreed to approve this if ok with the Police Department.

Ron Kilburn asked if anyone else had Any Other Business.

5. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach stated he received the 2011 Water Quality Report in his utility bill and was pleased with the results. He said this is state mandated and that Swanton Village reports all testing done on their water. He also stated that VT Gas ran a service line on Gallup Court and said he was pleased with the job they did. He also asked to have the Grand List Discussion added to the next agenda.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn stated he couldn’t make the June 25^th meeting so requested we meet on July 2^nd then go back to the regular schedule after that. All agreed to meet on July 2^nd. Ron also mentioned meeting with Paul Nolan on June 14^th with Reg Beliveau and asked what time they would be meeting. Reg stated 4 p.m. and said they were meeting to discuss the Swanton Village Lower Dam investor possibility.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard mentioned the obstructed views on some of the Village sidewalks and said the visibility issues on street corners should take first priority. Reg stated he has already gone to some homeowners, introduced himself and talked with them about trimming their hedges on the sidewalks.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn mentioned the residents at the corner of Canada and Brown Street and First and Greenwich Street that have ongoing yard sales. He said he would prefer the Swanton Police dealing with this issue first rather than the Zoning Office.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman asked about paying utility bills electronically and wondered if Swanton Village would go paperless and send bills electronically as well. I advised him we may be purchasing the piece that would allow customers to pay online in the future, that we had to get through the conversion first.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman gave kudos to the Fire Department Truck Committee for all their hard work. He also mentioned having the Police Department keep an eye out for kids in the Village Green playing Frisbee, climbing the swan fence and getting in the pond area. He also mentioned he was in the Park recently and noticed several cigarette butts on the ground and said they may have more of a problem with that than he previously thought. Chris Leach stated they would put signs up first to see if that helps with the problem. Reg stated they have decided on a style for the signs and that Amy Brewer from Fit and Healthy has funds available to purchase the signs.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman asked Reg if there was anything he could do to help with the Park Improvement issue at this time. Reg stated he purchased a bench from Costco and showed it to the Board. He said he’s talked with Al Kinzinger about planning ahead, and being cost effective by cutting the dead trees that are marked in the Park. He said he would like to have both departments work together and safely remove these trees. Chris Leach stated he would like to see some sidewalks added, benches added and the removal of dead trees, and the planting of some new trees. He would like the sidewalks done after the Car Show if at all possible.

6. Executive Session to Discuss Contracts and Legal Matters: None.

ADJOURN: Chris Leach made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 8:35 p.m. Eugene LaBombard seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - May 29th, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

7:00 PM

Ronald Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

1. Approve and Accept the Minutes from Monday, May 14, 2012 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, May 14, 2012 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Chris Leach asked if there was any progress made regarding the bridge report. Reg spoke with a state employee and said with the bridge being as old as it is, it is in good shape. He said the railing change out is a suggestion. He asked them about painting and he was given a phone number to call. Lynn Paradis stated she has applied for grant money several times for bridge repairs and that we have not received grant money for a few years for the bridge. Chris Leach was satisfied with these answers and stated they could now sign the bridge report. Unanimous.

2. Approve the following Warrants: Warrant #426 for $264,309.27; Warrant #427 for $20,769.82; Warrant #428 for $1.42; Warrant #429 for $395.17; Warrant #430 for $85,342.75; Warrant #431 for $5,700.00; Warrant #432 for $492.26; and Warrant #433 for $184,157.84:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Warrants #426 through #433 as presented. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried. Chris Leach asked about the segregation of Accounts Payable functions. Lynn explained the process to the Board.

3. Coin Drop Request – Ben & Jerry’s Relay for Life:

Chris Leach asked if there were any other coin drops scheduled in the month of June and Ron Kilburn asked what factors they use to approve such functions. Chris stated they have to be for a non-profit organization and a local one as well. Chris Leach made the motion to approve Ben & Jerry’s request for a Coin Drop to be held on Saturday, June 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

4. Fire Chief Rick King – New Fire Truck Proposals:

Rick King, Pete Prouty, Travis Greeno, Jon Greer, and Alex Bourdeau, members of the Truck Committee; and Dan Desorcie from E-1 and Pat from HME were present for the opening of the fire truck proposals. Chris Leach asked if they received bids back from all requested and Rick stated all but one. Rick opened the bids:

Toyne, Shakerley from New York -- $456,526

HME, Lakes Region -- $427,000

E-1, Desorcie -- $429,541

Discussion followed and Reg asked if they had to accept the lowest bid provided. Pete Prouty said that the committee would review the bids to compare and make sure they are complete. Pete said the truck they order won’t be ready until the first of next year. Rick King stated this was their second run through with the proposal and that they have met with the vendors and gone over the proposal before this bid. They discussed their ISO rating and how that is determined. They exited the meeting at 7:36 p.m.

5. Electric, Water and Sewer Rate Increase Discussion:

Lynn Paradis informed the Board that she wanted to have a Class Cost of Service study and rate increase study done in the Electric and Water and Sewer Departments. A rate redesign and rate increase would be filed around September if needed in the Electric Department. There hasn’t been a rate increase in the Water and Sewer Department since 2006 and since 2010 in the Electric Department. Any rate changes in the Electric Department would require a filing with the VT Public Service Board. The Water and Sewer Department rates are set by the Village Trustees. She advised she would keep the Board updated on the findings of the study.

6. Solar Aerators for Waste Water Treatment Plant Discussion:

Reg Beliveau advised the Board that the Solar Aerators at the Waste Water Plant are old and not operating very well. He advised that the Village is going to need to purchase some new ones. We are still waiting to get a quote from a vendor that sells Solar Aerators. Chris Leach asked if they are going to have to dredge this year. Reg said not this year but in the next few years they will have to.

7. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach made the motion to have Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, sign the 2012 Transco Equity Offer and Assignment of Purchase to borrow Transco Equity from VPPSA. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried. Reg and Lynn discussed the Letter of Agreement and Shareholder Agreement regarding Velco. Reg will look into this more and get the necessary documents to the Board of Trustees. Ron Kilburn asked who does this analysis. Reg advised Dave Mullett and Bill Piper.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman advised that the swans Sam and Betty are in the pond in the Village Green. He said the pond has been upgraded and thanked Mike Menard and his crew for their hard work. He also thanked Al Kinzinger and his crew for the work they did on the cleaning of the electrical outlets in the bandstand. Adam also asked the public to take down their yard sale signs when the sale is over. He asked if it was legal to post signs on the utility poles? Reg advised no it is not legal.

Any Other Business: Chris Leach advised they needed to sign the Bridge Summary Report. He also asked Reg if he heard anything on the tree removal for the park. Reg said he is waiting on weather and Al’s crew. Chris also stated the Grand List discussion needs to happen. He also stated that were the Patriot sign is now located in the Park is where he would like a kiosk placed so that vehicles driving by in either direction can read it. He will get a drawing to the Board.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard mentioned the sidewalks in the Village and said that in some places it is difficult to walk due to overgrown hedges. He would like to know what can be done about this. Reg suggested visiting the homeowners that have hedges that need trimming and said he would look into it.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn stated he went to the Sewer Plant, Swan Valley and the Water Plant with Reg and came away impressed with all the projects and with the employees. He also stated that the Doughboy statue in Flat Iron Park was dedicated in May of 1937 and said he has been in contact with a company to get an assessment for what needs to be done on the Doughboy.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau advised that the power outage on River Lane, Ferry Street and Merchants Row was due to the storm today and said a tree had fallen on the wires taking out power. He also said the first filter is in at the Water Treatment Plant and that they had an issue last week to prime the low lift pumps. He said Lagoon #2 is cleaned and that Lagoon #3 will be cleaned this week. He said the new Lagoon is in use also.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked is anyone was going to the APPA conference? Reg advised he is going the Municipal Smart Grid Summit next week.

ADJOURN: Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:07 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand, Ronald Kilburn, Village President, adjourned the meeting at 9:07 p.m.

Minutes Recorded by Lynn Paradis, typed by Dianne Day.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Monday, May 14, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - May 14th, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Monday, May 14, 2012

7:00 PM

Ronald Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

1. Approve and Accept the Minutes from Monday, April 23, 2012 Meeting:

Adam Paxman made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, April 23, 2012 as presented. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Reg Beliveau stated that in Item #6 there was a mistake. He said it stated that “FERC” was working on the Lower Dam issue and it should state Attorney Paul Nolan. Village Clerk made the correction. Chris Leach asked about the Smoking Ordinance issue, and stated they would discuss it at the JLB on May 23, 2012. He also asked about the lien issue and asked if landlords were now getting a copy of their tenants disconnect notice if all forms were signed? He was advised that yes they were attached to their accounts and would get notices if required. The correction was made, motion carried.

2. Approve and Accept the following Warrants: Warrant #418 for $139,600.13; Warrant #419 for $349,517.74; Warrant #420 for $499.47; Warrant #421 for $54,277.64; Warrant #422 for $440.54; Warrant #423 for $178,897.56; Warrant #424 for $152,577.31; and Warrant #425 for $334.96:

Chris Leach asked what Gabree & Sons Tree Trimming was used for. Reg explained for tree trimming in the Electric Department. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve and accept Warrants #418 through #425 as presented. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

3. 1^st Quarter SQRP Report:

Chris Leach stated Swanton Village Electric is doing an excellent job in preventing outages, treating the customers with respect and handling the bills and work orders to satisfaction. He said the numbers are excellent and thanked everyone involved. Lynn Paradis explained the report and stated Swanton Village could have financial consequences if we didn’t have a satisfactory report and that we had to provide it to the Board of Trustees each quarter. Chris Leach stated they are in receipt of the report and it is in good standing.

4. 2011 Bridge Inspection Summary Report:

Chris Leach stated he read the report and overall the bridge is in good condition but the appraisal side of the report is not good. On the appraisal side of the report it states that the bridge does not meet the current standard for the bridge railings and guardrails. Reg Beliveau stated he hasn’t had time to make a few phone calls to find out the required standards but would do so. He stated the inspection summary states the entire guard rail system should be upgraded to meet current standards, the beam ends and bearings at the abutments should be extensively cleaned, painted and greased and that the overall condition of the bridge is satisfactory due to slow ongoing rust scaling along the exterior steel beam of the downstream side. Ron Kilburn asked if the Village could do those repairs and Reg stated no they would have to hire that done like the Interstate Overpass Bridge job. He stated he wanted to do some homework on the rating and would report back to the Board. Chris Leach advised they would wait and sign the report after Reg has looked into it further and requested they table this item until then. The Board agreed to table item #4.

5. Village Park Improvement Discussion:

Chris Leach asked Reg if he has talked with Russ Walters or Dave Hamlen yet regarding the trees in the Village Green? Reg stated not as of yet but did find their tree planting plan from 2001 and presented it to the Board. Eugene LaBombard stated there are several trees that need to come down. Chris Leach asked if Gabree & Sons would take down the dead trees in the Park and asked Reg to talk with Al Kinzinger in the Electric Department about this. Chris stated he would like to see these improvements done this summer and said they need new benches, some sidewalks added, their Veterans plaque created and maybe a kiosk in the Park at the end of First Street. Reg stated he wanted to purchase a few benches from Costco and said they flip over into a table top as well. He said he’d like to try those out in the park and see if they hold up. Chris also asked about the trees in Flat Iron Park. Reg said that Warren Fournier from the VFW stopped in and had a quote to get the Veteran’s plaque cleaned and asked if the Village and Town would split the cost with them to do so. Ron Kilburn advised that item was on the JLB agenda and they could discuss it then but the Board showed interest in doing so. Reg stated that Mr. Fournier has already purchased some new trees for that Park as well. Chris asked if they could install new lights in Flat Iron Park to match the Village Green. Reg stated he would mention that to Mr. Fournier but stated this is the Veteran’s park so it would be up to them.

The Board agreed to get together to do a walk through of the Park. They said the plans for this summer would be to remove the dead trees, plant some new trees, have new sidewalks installed as well as some new benches. He asked Reg to ask Mr. Fournier where they had their plaque made so they could contact that company for a quote on the Veterans plaque they want installed in the Village Green. They also want a Memorial Tree planted near the plaque.

6. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach gave another reminder about the Hazardous Waste Day to be held on Saturday, May 19^th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Town Garage on Fourth Street.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman stated he’s seen some of the Police Department’s website and said they have been busy the last six months. He said he commends all their hard work. Adam also stated the Swans would be in the Village Green for Memorial Day weekend and thanked the Public Works crew for all they’ve done in the pond.

Any Other Business: Chief Stell handed out their monthly stat report to the Board for their review. This report showed all Village calls and all Town calls in the last 30 days. There were 94 calls in the Village and 39 calls in the Town. He stated they have been extremely busy and he wanted to show the Board the types of calls they have been getting.

Any Other Business: Reg Beliveau stated they have set aside funds in their budget to have work done on the exterior of the Village Complex. He said he received estimates for new vinyl siding and bids to remove the old siding and install the new siding. He showed the Board the samples of the new siding that would be installed, barn red on the bottom of the building and tan siding on the top in a cedar shake style for the top of the building. He said they are under budget so far and would like to install new lighting and have a new sign made as well. Eugene LaBombard asked if there was any indication of damage under the existing siding. Reg stated that when there is a driving rain or snow it comes in the office so that damage would also need to be repaired. Reg stated Swanton Lumber gave them a great price on the vinyl siding and said he appreciates their business. Chris Leach made the motion to have Reg Beliveau, Village Manager, proceed with the siding of the Municipal Building as proposed. Eugene LaBombard seconded. Motion carried.

7. Executive Session to Discuss Personnel:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to enter into Executive Session to Discuss Personnel at 8:00 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

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

ACTION TAKEN: The Board of Trustees authorized the hiring of one part time employee and one full time employee.

ADJOURN: Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:06 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. There being no further business at hand Ronald Kilburn, Village President; adjourned the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:06 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date

Monday, April 23, 2012

Trustee Meeting Minutes - April 23rd, 2012

SWANTON VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SWANTON VILLAGE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX

120 FIRST STREET

SWANTON, VT 05488

MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING

Monday, April 23, 2012

7:00 PM

PRESENT: Ronald Kilburn, Village President; Chris Leach, Trustee; Adam Paxman, Trustee; Eugene LaBombard, Trustee; Reginald Beliveau, Village Manager; Lynn Paradis, Assistant Village Manager; Dianne Day, Village Clerk; Amy Brewer, NMC; Shawn Cheney, Village Resident; and Ch. 16.

Unless otherwise noted, all motions carried unanimously.

Ronald Kilburn, Village President, welcomed all to the Regular Board of Trustees meeting and called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. He introduced the Board members present.

1. Approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, April 9, 2012 Public Hearing and Meeting:

Chris Leach made the motion to approve and accept the Minutes from Monday, April 9, 2012 Public Hearing and Meeting and was glad there was such a good turnout. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

2. Approve the following Warrants: Warrant #413 for $171,131.57; Warrant #414 for $406.19; Warrant #415 for $66,262.52; Warrant #416 for $128,184.96; and Warrant #417 for $393.05:

Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve Warrants #413 through #417 as presented. He then asked what Southworth Milton vendor was for, they waited for Lynn Paradis to arrive to answer before approving Warrants.

3. Amy Brewer – Discussion on No Smoking Ordinance for Village Parks:

Amy presented the Board with a Village of Swanton Parks Smoke Free Proposal to look over. Adam Paxman asked who would be policing this proposal if adopted? Amy advised it is pretty much self policing and that other communities posted signs and said it is a process that takes time and is also based on good communication. Eugene LaBombard said that the public has a big part in enforcing it, that smokers are more tolerant of it and it seems to work, smoking eventually disappears.

Adam Paxman said he had concerns over it because it might detract from the events the Chamber of Commerce holds in the Village Park. He said they struggle now to get people there and he’s not convinced this is a good idea. Amy said that more people don’t smoke and they won’t bring their families to events where there will be smoking. Chris Leach said he is not a smoker but is against more regulation if not needed and is happy to leave things status quo.

Eugene LaBombard said he doesn’t see anyone smoking outside now. Ron Kilburn asked about people who chew tobacco, he said he picked up three containers of it last week and said this seems like a solution without a problem. Chris said maybe they should just put up signs that read “We Appreciate It If You Don’t Smoke.”

Amy stated that many communities post signs and offered to get some for the Village. She said she is here to advocate for the Ordinance and that this says to the community that you want to create a healthy environment for everyone. She said she prefers the adoption of the Ordinance and is even willing to go and pick up cigarette butts to see how many there are on the ground in the parks.

Reg Beliveau stated that the Village has a new website and face book page and that he wants to post the question there and see what kind of response they get. He would also like to get Chief Stell’s opinion on the matter as far as enforcing the Ordinance. Chris Leach stated he would rather see the Police Department working on burglaries, speeding issues, etc. rather than smoking ordinances. Adam Paxman advised they table this item for now because he’d like to do some more research and he’d like to see what they get for a community response. Ronald Kilburn mentioned that maybe this needs to be addressed at the next JLB meeting to hear their thoughts as well. The Board agreed to table this item and address it at the JLB meeting and to also invite Amy Brewer to that meeting as well.

Before Amy left Reg advised she had brought him fluorescent vests for people who walk early in the morning and late in the evening. They are size large and can be picked up at the Village office.

Lynn Paradis arrived and advised the Southworth Milton invoice was for the emergency generator at the Hydro Plant and that they would be reimbursed for 50% of that from their Velco ARRA grant. Eugene LaBombard made the motion to approve Warrants #413 through #417 as presented. Chris Leach seconded the motion, unanimous. Motion carried.

4. Shawn Cheney – Discussion on Electric Liens:

Shawn Cheney stated that first of all he would like to ask the Board that they change their policy in accepting Postmarks on tax bills. He stated that as of now, the Village of Swanton does not accept Postmarks and he feels this is a disservice to the Village residents and non residents who pay taxes in the Village. He said he was unaware that the Swanton Post Office sends all mail to Burlington to be sorted and because of this you have the potential to be late in paying your tax bill. We explained to him that after the due date all delinquent tax bills are handed over to our delinquent tax collector with a warrant declaring the amount of the delinquent taxes. If we were to keep the books open what date would you choose to no longer accept Postmarks? We advised him that all bills have a due date and that this due date is the same each year. Chris Leach asked if taxpayers had the ability to pay their tax bill online? I advised that yes they could through their own bank, they could send an online payment. Ron Kilburn stated that he would look into this because he believes a principal contract is deemed complete once posted in the US Mail and that Shawn’s point may be a valid one. The Board advised they would look further into this.

Shawn stated his other concern was the Village of Swanton putting liens on landlords for an unpaid bill left by a tenant. He said he talked with several landlords and they were happy about our meeting and feel they were informed but that they would like to see this rescinded. He said this is an expense to them that they cannot control and feel it’s unconstitutional. He said he could take a tenant to court for an eviction process and then find out months later the Village of Swanton has put a lien on the property so he would then have to take that person back to court at an additional expense to him. He worried about other companies doing the same thing, holding landlords responsible for their tenant’s bills. Lynn advised Shawn that only municipalities are allowed to lien landowners. Shawn said this is a burden that will be passed on to good paying tenants, and that they will have to raise the rents on elderly, etc. Lynn stated how important it is to have good communication with us so that we know who is moving in where. Adam stated he didn’t think there was any easy answer and feels things need to change in Montpelier as well. He said landlords need more rights than what they now have.

Shawn stated he would ask to have this put to another vote to rescind this. Eugene stated that this procedure is not unique to Vermont. Chris stated the Landlord Association Attorney should push for this kind of thing. He stated there is approximately $90,000 placed in liens and we have 3,600 customers. Swanton Village would have to collect these funds somehow. He said the legislature needs to be more business friendly and that rental units are a business. He said as a Village they need to protect their ratepayers.

Reg Beliveau stated that everyone in the front office does a great job and Shawn agreed to this. Lynn stated the Public Service Board is for the customers and not the utilities and that there are approximately 10% of the customers who abuse the system. Eugene asked that when a tenant is past due on their account is the landlord notified. We advised him that we are working with Cogsdale to get this feature working and that we will send all landlords a copy of their tenants disconnect notice as long as they have the authorization form signed by their tenant. Shawn also mentioned being told not to pay the lien in case the tenant moves back into our system. He said this is upsetting because 1% overdue interest is charged monthly. Shawn again stated he would like the Village of Swanton to rescind its Charter change.

More discussion took place regarding our disconnect procedure and rules. At this point in time Adam Paxman made the motion to have all landlords notified when a disconnect notice is printed on their tenants account as long as the tenant authorization form is signed. Chris Leach seconded. Chris stated that this is an ongoing process but the main goal is to keep collecting past due accounts and to keep the rates down. Motion carried.

5. Park Improvement Discussion:

Discussion took place regarding the Park Improvements to be done at the Village Green, Marble Mill and Flat Iron Park. They said the primary piece will be a tree revitalization program and they will stagger the growth. They stated they would like more sidewalks and also have some benches put in. They mentioned the trees that Dave Hamlen planted a few years back and said they would like to take a look at that again and see where they are as far the planting of trees goes. Adam mentioned there are several pine trees in the Village Green that need to be cut down. The Board would also like to see a sidewalk installed at Marble Mill Park that ended up meeting Webster Terrace. Eugene stated the first thing they need to do is cut the dead trees out and should get an estimate from local tree trimmers. They mentioned repairing the fountain as well. Chris stated that the main improvements would be trees, sidewalks, benches, Veterans sign and trash receptacles. Ron Kilburn stated that the stone canoe at Marble Mill needs repair as well. He also stated that Dave Hamlen is the tree warden and that the Village cannot cut a tree down until they meet with Dave and have him inspect the tree. The Board stated they should do a walk thru of the Parks, draft a plan and then take action.

6. Update on Lower Village Dam:

Reg Beliveau advised the Board he has received quotes from H.L. Turner and Paul Nolan regarding moving forward with the project. Reg stated he felt it was in the best interest to continue to move forward with the necessary permits and to also try and get some grant money to help with the project. Reg provided the Board with a spreadsheet showing that there isn’t a cash flow for 20 years. Lynn provided the Board with the research she’s done and said it would be cheaper to purchase power than to generate it here. Adam stated he feels this isn’t feasible at this point in time. Reg agreed but said it would be if they received grant money. Chris stated he didn’t want to totally dismiss this as of yet and that it may be feasible at some point and to keep looking at it. Reg advised that Attorney Paul Nolan was still working on this and that they have a two year permit in place.

Chris stated that they moved forward with Unit #5 at the Hydro Plant and said that this might be pertinent to the Downtown Dam. He said they would like to be able to either break even or make money at it. Reg stated they needed to decide how much they wanted to spend on this project. The Board agreed that they wanted to spend the minimum amount of money to keep their permits in place and to maintain water rights.

7. Any Other Necessary Business:

Chris Leach informed the viewers that on May 19, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a Hazardous Waste Day at the Town Garage on Fourth Street. He informed the Board that the legislature did not pass the plastic bag and water bottle waste bill. He said things are looking pretty good and their goal is to not cause more cost to their local haulers. He also said that members can drop off computers, TV’s, monitors, etc. due to the Electronics Bill that was passed. He said these items can be dropped off at the Georgia plant.

Chris also stated he wants to begin discussion on the Grand List in the near future.

Any Other Business: Adam Paxman wanted to remind the viewers that Saturday, May 5^th is Green Up Day and that people are meeting here at the Village Complex at 8 a.m. and is again being run by Camille Freeman. He encouraged residents to show up and help out.

Any Other Business: Eugene LaBombard asked if the generation has been low in the last couple of weeks due to low precipitation. Reg said yes it was down due to that fact. Eugene asked how the Water Treatment Plant upgrade was going. Reg advised they are working on the new lagoon, have installed the sprinkler system and that Drummac will drain the other two lagoons. He said due to high arsenic levels they could not land apply so they needed Drummac to remove the sludge. Eugene asked if the filtration system was installed yet. Reg said not yet and that they are coming in June. He said the inside is ready, the plumbing is ready and that everything is progressing fine.

Any Other Business: Ron Kilburn asked if the Village ordered copies of their meetings from Channel 15. I said that we’ve needed to order one in the past but we don’t on a regular basis. The Board thought that this was a good idea and that way the meetings wouldn’t have to be taped by the Clerk.

8. Executive Session to Discuss Contracts and Real Estate:

Chris Leach made the motion to enter Executive Session to discuss Contracts and Real Estate at 9:15 p.m. Adam Paxman seconded. Motion carried.

Adam Paxman made the motion to exit Executive Session at 9:40 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. Motion carried.

ACTION TAKEN: The Board of Trustees advised Village Manager Reg Beliveau to re-visit raising the rent on farmer’s rental property in 2013 and having them sign five year rental leases on these rental properties.

ADJOURN: Eugene LaBombard made the motion to adjourn the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:41 p.m. Chris Leach seconded. There being no further business at hand Ronald Kilburn, Village President; adjourned the Regular Board of Trustees meeting at 9:41 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Ronald Kilburn, Village President Date

_____________________________________ _______________________________________

Dianne Day, Village Clerk Date